Dosage Practice

Dosage Calculation Practice Problems With Answers

36 problems, three from each of the twelve topics on a school dosage exam, in the order schools teach them. Work each one on paper, then open the answer to check the number and the set-up. Rounding follows the rule stated under every problem, the same rules HESI, ATI and NCLEX questions use.

Lesson 1: Metric Conversions

Formula and method: Metric conversions guide. 1 g = 1,000 mg

  1. 1.Convert 1,500 mL to L.

    exact answer, no rounding needed

  2. 2.Convert 1,500 mcg to mg.

    exact answer, no rounding needed

  3. 3.Convert 400 mg to g.

    exact answer, no rounding needed

Lesson 2: Household and Metric

Formula and method: Household to metric guide. kg = lb ÷ 2.2

  1. 4.A patient's intake record shows 30 mL of water. How many oz is that?

    exact answer, no rounding needed

  2. 5.A patient's weight is recorded as 60 kg. What is that in lb?

    round to the nearest tenth

  3. 6.A patient drinks 4 oz of juice. Record the intake in mL.

    exact answer, no rounding needed

Lesson 3: Rounding Rules and Dimensional Analysis Set-Up

Formula and method: Dimensional analysis guide. given × (conversion 1) × (conversion 2) × … = answer in the unit you want

  1. 7.Set up a two-step chain. Ordered: 1 g by mouth. On hand: tablets of 500 mg each. How many tablets will you give?

    exact answer, no rounding needed

  2. 8.A drip-rate calculation gives 43.5 gtt/min. You cannot count part of a drop. Round to the nearest whole number.

    round to the nearest whole number

  3. 9.A calculation gives a dose of 3.781 mL. The syringe is marked in tenths. Round to the nearest tenth.

    round to the nearest tenth

Lesson 4: Tablets and Capsules

Formula and method: Tablets and capsules guide. tablets = desired dose ÷ dose per tablet

  1. 10.Ordered: 25 mcg by mouth. On hand: 0.025 mg scored tablets. How many tablets will you give?

    exact answer, no rounding needed

  2. 11.Ordered: 100 mg by mouth. On hand: 100 mg capsules. How many capsules will you give?

    exact answer, no rounding needed

  3. 12.Ordered: 300 mg by mouth daily in 3 divided doses. On hand: 50 mg scored tablets. How many tablets will you give per dose?

    exact answer, no rounding needed

Lesson 5: Liquid Oral Doses

Formula and method: Liquid oral doses guide. mL to give = (desired mg ÷ mg on label) × mL on label

  1. 13.Ordered: 0.25 g of an oral suspension by mouth. Available: 200 mg per 5 mL. How many mL will you give?

    round to the nearest tenth

  2. 14.Ordered: 50 mg by mouth. Available: an oral solution of 20 mg per mL. How many mL will you give?

    round to the nearest tenth

  3. 15.Ordered: 240 mg of an oral suspension by mouth. Available: 160 mg per 5 mL. How many mL will you give?

    round to the nearest tenth

Lesson 6: Injections (IM and Subcut)

Formula and method: Injections guide. mL to draw up = (desired ÷ have) × vial volume

  1. 16.Ordered: 125 mg IM. Available: a vial of 100 mg per 2 mL. How many mL will you draw up?

    round to the nearest tenth

  2. 17.Ordered: 0.8 mg subcut. Available: 4 mg per mL. You will use a 1 mL syringe. How many mL will you draw up?

    round to the nearest hundredth

  3. 18.Ordered: 125 mg IM. Available: 100 mg per mL. How many mL will you draw up?

    round to the nearest tenth

Lesson 7: mg/kg Dosing

Formula and method: mg/kg dosing guide. dose = mg/kg × weight in kg

  1. 19.Ordered: 25 mg/kg by mouth per dose. The child weighs 21.5 kg. How many mg will you give per dose?

    round to the nearest tenth

  2. 20.Ordered: 10 mg/kg by mouth per dose. The child weighs 7.5 kg. Available: 200 mg per 5 mL. How many mL will you give?

    round to the nearest tenth

  3. 21.Ordered: 25 mg/kg/day by mouth, divided every 8 hours. The child weighs 19 kg. How many mg will you give per dose?

    round to the nearest tenth

Lesson 8: Safe Dose Range Checks

Formula and method: Safe dose range guide. low = min mg/kg × kg

  1. 22.The recommended range is 10 to 20 mg/kg/day, divided every 12 hours. The child weighs 38 kg. What is the maximum safe amount for a single dose, in mg?

    round to the nearest tenth

  2. 23.The recommended range is 30 to 40 mg/kg/day. The child weighs 11.5 kg. What is the maximum safe dose per day, in mg?

    round to the nearest tenth

  3. 24.The recommended range is 15 to 30 mg/kg/day. The patient weighs 30 kg. What is the minimum effective dose per day, in mg?

    round to the nearest tenth

Lesson 9: IV Flow Rate on a Pump (mL/hr)

Formula and method: IV pump rate (mL/hr) guide. mL/hr = total mL ÷ hours

  1. 25.Order: 500 mL of 0.45% sodium chloride IV over 5 hr 30 min. At what rate will you set the pump, in mL/hr?

    round to the nearest whole number

  2. 26.Order: cefazolin 1 g in 100 mL to infuse IV over 30 min. At what rate will you set the pump, in mL/hr?

    round to the nearest whole number

  3. 27.Order: 500 mL of D5 0.45% sodium chloride IV to infuse over 4 hr. At what rate will you set the pump, in mL/hr?

    round to the nearest whole number

Lesson 10: Gravity Drip Rate (gtt/min)

Formula and method: IV drip rate (gtt/min) guide. gtt/min = (total mL × drop factor) ÷ total minutes

  1. 28.Order: 500 mL of 0.45% sodium chloride IV over 6 hr by gravity. The tubing drop factor is 15 gtt/mL. How many gtt/min will you count?

    round to the nearest whole number

  2. 29.Order: piperacillin-tazobactam 3.375 g in 50 mL to infuse over 45 min by gravity. The tubing drop factor is 10 gtt/mL. How many gtt/min will you count?

    round to the nearest whole number

  3. 30.An IV is running at 150 mL/hr. The pump fails and you switch to gravity tubing with a drop factor of 10 gtt/mL. How many gtt/min will you count?

    round to the nearest whole number

Lesson 11: Infusion Time and Completion Time

Formula and method: Infusion time guide. hours = total mL ÷ mL/hr

  1. 31.cefazolin 1 g in 50 mL is infusing at 100 mL/hr. How many minutes will it take to finish?

    round to the nearest whole number

  2. 32.A 1,000 mL bag is running by gravity at 40 gtt/min through tubing with a drop factor of 15 gtt/mL. How many hours will it take to finish?

    exact answer, no rounding needed

  3. 33.An IV of lactated Ringer's has been running at 75 mL/hr for 2 hr. How many mL has the patient received?

    round to the nearest whole number

Lesson 12: Weight-Based Drips (mcg/kg/min)

Formula and method: mcg/kg/min drips guide. mL/hr = (mcg/kg/min × kg × 60) ÷ (mcg per mL in the bag)

  1. 34.Dopamine 400 mg in 250 mL is running at 18 mL/hr for a patient weighing 61 kg. How many mcg/kg/min is the patient receiving?

    round to the nearest tenth

  2. 35.Nitroglycerin 50 mg in 250 mL. Ordered: 5 mcg/min. At what rate will you set the pump, in mL/hr?

    round to the nearest tenth

  3. 36.Dobutamine 500 mg in 250 mL. Ordered: 2.5 mcg/kg/min for a patient weighing 63 kg. At what rate will you set the pump, in mL/hr?

    round to the nearest tenth

dosagepractice.com · For exam practice only. Not clinical guidance. Always follow your institution's policies and a pharmacist's verification.

These 36 Never Change. The Exam's Will.

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