How it Works
Try Naxlex NCLEX-RN (Free-Trial)

The nurse is reconstituting a powdered medication that is labeled, "Add 2.5 mL of normal saline to make 1 gram per mL." The dient's prescription is for 500 mg of the medication. How many mL should the nurse administer to this client? (Enter numeric value only. If rounding is required, round to the nearest tenth.)
Answer and Explanation

The Correct Answer is ["0.5"]

Here's how to calculate the volume the nurse should administer after reconstituting the medication:

1. Reconstitution and Concentration:

The medication label states adding 2.5 mL of normal saline will make a solution with a concentration of 1 gram per mL. This means after reconstituting, each 1 mL of the solution will contain 1 gram of medication.

2. Dose conversion:

The client's prescription is for 500 mg. We need to convert it to grams since the concentration is in grams per mL.

Conversion: 1 gram (g) = 1000 milligrams (mg)

Prescribed dose (g) = 500 mg / 1000 mg/g

Prescribed dose (g) = 0.5 g (round to nearest tenth)

3. Calculate the volume to administer:

 

We know the concentration after reconstitution (1 gram/mL) and the desired dose in grams (0.5 g).

Volume to administer (mL) = Dose (g) / Concentration (g/mL)

Volume to administer (mL) = 0.5 g / 1 g/mL

Volume to administer (mL) = 0.5 mL (round to nearest tenth as requested)

Therefore, the nurse should administer approximately 0.5 mL of the reconstituted medication to the client.


Get 100+ Naxlex Exit Exams for $79 Try Naxlex NCLEX-RN (14 Day Free-Trial)

Naxlex Comprehensive Predictor Exams

Free Nursing Study Resources

Related Questions

Correct Answer is ["1.5"]

Explanation

First, we need to convert the prescribed dose from mg to mcg because the available medication is labeled in mcg.

1 mg is equal to 1,000 mcg. So, 0.075 mg is equal to 75 mcg.

Given:

The prescription is for 75 mcg of levothyroxine.

The available medication is 50 mcg/tablet.

We can set up the proportion as follows:

75mcg/ xtablet ​= 50mcg/1tablet ​

Solving for x gives us the number of tablets that the nurse should administer.

Cross-multiplying and solving for x:

X = 75mcg×1tablet​/50mcg

After performing the calculation, we find that x equals 1.5 tablets.

So, the nurse should administer 1.5 tablets of the medication. This is rounded to the nearest tenth as per the instructions.

Correct Answer is ["2.4"]

Explanation

The vial contains 500 mcg (or 0.5 mg) of digoxin in 2 mL.

This means that each mL contains 0.25 mg of the medication (0.5 mg / 2 mL = 0.25 mg/mL).

The nurse needs to administer 0.6 mg of the medication. To find out how many mL this is, we divide the dose by the concentration:

VolumeinmL = 0.25mg/mL 0.6mg / 0.25mg/mL ​= 2.4mL

If rounding is required to the nearest tenth, the nurse should administer 2.4 mL of the medication.

Whether you are a student looking to ace your exams or a practicing nurse seeking to enhance your expertise , our nursing education contents will empower you with the confidence and competence to make a difference in the lives of patients and become a respected leader in the healthcare field.

Visit Naxlex, invest in your future and unlock endless possibilities with our unparalleled nursing education contents today

Register