Southern University School of Nursing

Nursing 304
Practice Dosage Problems

1. Demerol 25 mg IM is to be given combined with Phenergan 12.5 mg. The vial for
injection of Demerol contains 50 mg/mL. The Phenergan contains 25 mg/mL.

How many mL of Demerol should be prepared? _____________

How many mL of Phenergan should be prepared? ___________

Total amount in mL after both are drawn into one syringe? ___________

2. One liter of D5W is ordered to be infused in 10 hours. (DF = 10). How many drops per
minute will deliver the ordered fluid?

gtts/min = _________

3. A single dose of factor IX complex 75 units/kg is ordered to be given IV to an individual

weighing 110 lb. After diluted, the vial contains 100 units/3 mL.

How many units are to be given? ___________

Amount to give in mL? ____________________

4. Calculate the IV flow rate in cc/hr and gtts/min if a client is to receive lactated Ringers
1000 mL over 12 hours. Drop factor =15 .

cc/hour = _____________

gtts/minute = __________

5. A client has an order for 0.9 % NS 500 mL with 200 units of regular insulin and to be
infused at 10 units/hr. Drop factor is 60 gtt/mL.

Amount of drug/mL? __________

How many mL/hr? ____________

How many gtt/min? ___________

6. A client may receive Dilaudid 3 mg IM Q 3 hours for pain. Dilaudid is available in

1 mL ampules containing 4 mg.

How many mL should be prepared? _____________

7. A client receives Digoxin 125 mcg PO Q 12 hours for cardiac arrhythmias. Digoxin 0.25
mg/tab is available.

How many tabs would be the correct dose? _______________

8. Solumedrol 80 mg IVP is ordered for a client. It is available in 125 mg/mL.

How many mL will be the correct amount to give? _____________________

9. Levaquin 500 mg in 100 mL Q 24 hours is ordered. The Levaquin is to be infused over

one hour. The DF = 10.

What is the correct flow rate in cc/hour? _________________

What is the correct flow rate in gtts/minute? ________________

10. Epoetin alfa 3000 units SC is ordered Q Mon/Wed/Fri. It is available as

2000 u/ 1 mL injection solution.

How many mL are the correct dose? ________________

11. Lorazepam (Ativan) is ordered 0.5 mg IVP and is available in a 2mg/mL vial.

How many mL should be prepared? ________________

 12. On rounds, the nurse checks the IV bag and notes 350 cc to be absorbed (TBA) or left to
count. The pump is set at 150 cc/hr. If infusing correctly, the IV should last another 3
hours. At the present setting, will the IV infuse on time, or is it too fast or too slow?

___________

If not infusing correctly, what would be the correct rate? ________________

13. An IVPB of 100 cc was hung at 0900 and set to run for 2 hours on the pump. The pump
is set at 50 cc/hr. At 1030 the amount remaining is 25 cc. Is the IV infusing correctly?

_____________

If not infusing correctly, what would be the correct rate? ___________________

14. Linezolid (Zyvox) 600 mg in 300 mL is ordered to infuse over 2 hours. The IV is hung at
0800. Drop factor = 10 .

Infuse at _______________ cc/hr

Infuse _________________ gtt/min

15. The healthcare provider orders a stat dose of 45 grams of sodium polystyrene sulfonate
(Kayexalate) for a client. Kayexalate is available in a suspension of 15 gm/60 mL.

How many mL will the nurse administer? _______________

16. A client has orders for Morphine sulfate ¼ gr. IVP every 4 hours prn for pain. The label
reads 10mg/mL.

How many mL will the nurse prepare? __________________

17. A client is prescribed Synthroid 0.1 mg po every day. Available are Synthroid 50 mcg
tablets.

How many tablets should be given? _________________

18. A client is to receive phenytoin (Dilantin) 1.5 grains this morning. Dilantin is
available in 30 mg capsules.

How many capsules will the nurse administer? ____________________

Answers to above practice problems

1. 0.5 mL of Demerol, 0.5 mL of Phenergan, and 1 mL total

2. 17 gtts/min
3. 3750 units and 112.5 mL
4. 83 cc/hour and 21 gtts/min
5. 0.4 units of insulin, 25 mL/hour, and 25 gtts/min
6. 0.75 cc
7. 0.5 tabs
8. 0.64 mL
9. 100 mL/hour and 17 gtts/min
10. 1.5 mL
11. 0.25 mL
12. Infusing too fast, adjust to 117 cc/hour
13. IV infusing correctly
14. 150 cc/hour and 25 gtts/min
15. 180 mL
16. 1.5 mL
17. 2 tablets
18. 3 capsules

practice problems originally prepared by L. Greggs