Self-Assessment On Dosage Calculation Skills

Instructions:

The purpose of this self-assessment is to help you to determine areas of strength and
weakness, so that you may review as needed. Complete the problems to the best of your
ability. On the last page of the test are the answers. If you miss more than one problem per
section, you will need to review material related to that section. The self-assessment includes
practice problems on basic arithmetic skills . Although these are not included as such on the
challenge exam, they are basic knowledge needed for dosage calculation.
Section I: Addition, Subtraction , Multiplication and Division

Section II: Fractions

Section III: Decimal Points

Section IV: Solving Equations To Determine The Value of X – (Including Ratio And Proportion).

Section V: Calculating Drug Dosages In The Metric System

18. Mysoline 375 mg is ordered. Scored tablets available are 250 mg. How many tablets would
you give?

19. A dosage of 25 mg of methazolamide has been ordered. Scored tablets available are 50
mg. How many tablets would you give?

20. Estinyl tablets are 0.05 mg. How many tablets would you prepare to give a 0.1 mg dosage?

Section VI: Calculating Drug Dosages In The Apothecary System And With Household
Measurements

21. Terpin hydrate 2 tsp. has been ordered. How many mLs would you give?

22. You are preparing a gr ½ IM dosage of phenobarbital from a solution with a strength of gr 3/4
per mL. How many mLs will you give?

23. Codeine IM is available in a gr ss per mL solution. How many mLs would you prepare to
give a gr i dosage?

Section VII: Converting Within & Between Systems

24. Benztropine mesylate 1500 mcg has been ordered t .i.d. The dosage strength available is
0.5 mg per tablet. How many tablets would you give?

25. An initial dose of 1.1 g has been ordered. Capsules are 550 mg in strength. How many
capsules would you give?

26. You are preparing a 15 mg dosage of morphine from a solution labeled gr 1/6 per mL. How many
mL will you draw up ?

Section VIII: Calculating Drug Dosages in Milliequivalents & Units

27. The order is for Phizerpen-AS 400,000 U q12h. Vial strength is 300,000 U per mL. How
many mLs would you give?

28. A 5,000 U per mL solution of heparin sodium is available. How many mLs would you
prepare to give a 7,500 U dosage?

Section IX: Reconstituting Powdered Drugs For Injection

29. Amoxil oral suspension is prepared as a 7.5 g powder for reconstitution. The directions are
to add 111 mL of water and shake until dissolved. The reconstituted solution has a strength
of 250 mg per 5 mL. How many mLs would you prepare to give a 0.5 g dosage?

30. To prepare a 100 mg/cc solution of Chloromycetin from the powdered drug, you must add 10
cc of sterile water to the vial. How many ccs would you draw up to give a 0.25 g dosage?

Section X: Calculating IV Drip Rates

31. The doctor orders the IV to run at 125 cc per hour. The drip chamber delivers 10
gtts per cc. How many gtts per minute will the nurse set the infusion rate?


32. The doctor orders the IV to run at 150 cc per hour. The drip chamber delivers 20 gtts per
cc. How many gtts per minute will the nurse set the infusion rate?

Section XI: Calculating IV Infusion Rates

33. The doctor orders 1 gram of Ampicillin. The Ampicillin is packaged in 125cc. The
infusion rate is 125 cc/hr. How long will it take to infuse the Ampicillin?


34. The doctor orders gentamicin 350 mg q 8 hr. The gentamicin is packaged in 150cc. The
prescribed rate of infusion is 75 cc per hour. How long will it take to infuse the gentamicin?


35. How many hours will it take to infuse 1000 mL of D5NS if the ordered infusion rate is 125
cc per hour?


36. The nurse hangs an IVPB with 1 gram of Ampicillin in 50 cc. The ordered infusion rate is
100 cc per hour. How long will it take to infuse the Ampicillin?


Section XII: Calculating Pediatric Dosages and Critical Care Dosages

37. The recommended daily dosage of PO Keflex is 25-50 mg/kg/day in divided doses q6h.
For a child weighing 44 lbs., what is the safe recommended dosage range for a 24 hour
period?

38. Ordered Erythromycin 30 mg/kg/day in divided doses tid. For a child weighing 11 lbs.,
how many mg of Erythromycin should be given in a single dose?


39. Order: Regular Insulin IV at 12 U/hr. The concentration is Insulin 200U in 500mL of
0.9% NS. The IV pump should be programmed for how many mL/hr?

ANSWER SHEET

Section I

1.623

2.154

3.23,520

4.16.224137

Section II

5.14/45

6.21/32

7.6 ¾

8.36

Section III

9.12.33

10.22.506

11.6.8085

12.70.888

13.30.538461

Section IV

14.7.5

15.
0.5

16.10

Section V

18.1 ½ tablets

19.½ tablet

20.2 tablets

Section VI

21.10 mL

22.0.67 mL

23.2 mL

Section VII

24.3 tablets

25.2 capsules

26.1.5 mL

Section VIII

27.1.3 mL

28.1.5 mL

Section IX

29.10 mL

30.2.5 cc

Section X

31.21 gtt/min

32.50 gtt/min

Section XI

33.1 hr

34.2 hr

35.8 hr

36.30 min

Section XII

37.500-1000mg/24h

38.50mg/dose

39.30ml/h