Lesson 4

Dosage
Calculations

ERIC L. ROSARIO
Instructor
Apothecary Measurements*
Dry Weight Fluid Volume

Larger Units Smaller Units Larger Units Smaller Units

1 ounce (oz) 480 grains (gr) 1 quart (qt) 2 pints (pt)

1 ounce (oz) 8 drams 1 pint 16 fluid ounces (fl oz)

1 dram 60 grains (gr) 1 fluid ounce 8 fluid dram (fl dr)

1 scruple 20 grains 1 fluid dram 60 minims (min, m)

1 minim 1 drop (gtt)

Metric System*
Unit Names and Abbreviations Measurements
1,000 gram (g, gm, G,
1 kilogram (kg, Kg)
Gm)

Gram 1,000 milligram (mg) 1g

(Weight)
1,000,000 microgram (mcg) 1g

1,000,000,000 nanogram (ng) 1g

1 kiloliter 1,000 L (l)

Liter
(Volume) 1 liter (L, l) 1,000 milliliter (ml, mL)
Household Equivalents*
1 measuring cup 8 ounces (oz)

1 medium-sized glass (tumbler size) 8 ounces (oz)

I coffee cup (c) 6 ounces (oz); varies with size

2 tablespoons (T)
1 ounce (oz)
30 cc (ml)
3 teaspoons (t)
1 tablespoon (T)
15 cc (ml)
60 drops (gtts)
1 teaspoon (t)
5 cc (ml)
1 drop (gtt) 1 minim (min, m)
Body Surface Area
• most accurate way to calculate the drug
dose for infants, children, older adults
and clients who are on antineoplastic
agents or whose body weight is low
• Nomogram: find patient’s weight in the
right column and the height in the left
column; place a straightedge on the
nomogram so the weight and height are
connected; the point where the
straightedge crosses the center column
denotes the patient’s body surface area
in square meters
Nomogram
 Sample Question
• Order: methotrexate
(Mexate) 50 mg
weekly. Child’s height is
54 inches and weighs
90 lbs (41kg)
• Child’s drug dosage: 25-75 mg/m2/week
• Child’s height and weight intersect at 1.3 m2 (BSA)
• Is the prescribed dose safe?

ANSWER
• Multiply the BSA, 1.3 m2 by the minimum and maximum
doses
• 25 mg X 1.3 m2 = 32.5 mg
• 75 mg X 1.3 m2 = 97.5 mg
• Dosage is considered safe within the parameters
according to the child’s BSA
Pediatric Dosages
CLARK’S RULE
- weight of the child
weight in lbs X AD
150

Ex. The child is weighing 50 lbs and adult dose

of the drug is 30 drops, 3X a day

50 lbs X 30 drops
150

1500/150

10 drops, 3X a day
Pediatric Dosages
FRIED’S RULE
- infants (up to 1 year)
age in mos. X AD
150

YOUNG’S RULE
- above 1 year
age in years. X AD
age in years + 12
Calculating Administration Rates
• 2 components to remember before using the
formulas
• drop factor of the IV administration rate
• amount of solution to be infused over one hour
• Macrodrip Set
• 10 drops = 1 ml
• 15 drops = 1 ml
• 20 drops = 1 ml
• Microdrip Set
• 60 microdrops = 1 ml
• Blood Set
• 10 drops = 1 ml
IV FLUID FLOW RATE
gtts/min
volume in cc X gtt factor
no. of hours X 60 min/hr
cc/hr
volume in cc
no. of hours

no. of hours
volume in cc
cc/hr
volume in cc X gtt factor
gtts/min X 60 min/hr