Try Naxlex NCLEX-RN (Free-Trial)

Using the West nomogram scale, the nurse needs to calculate the safe dosage of a medication for a child. The child is 50 inches tall and weighs 76 lb. The normal dosage of the medication for an adult is 300 mg. Which of the following is the correct way to use the West nomogram scale?

Use the “shortcut” scale because this child is average. This will show the nurse the percentage of the adult dosage appropriate for this child. Use this percentage to calculate the dosage.

Locate the child’s height and weight on the nomogram. Use a straight edge to align these numbers with the scale indicating percentage of adult dosage and multiply the adult dosage by this number.

Locate the child’s height and weight on the scale, multiply those two numbers, and divide the adult dosage by the resulting number.

Use the scale to locate the child’s height and weight. Use a straight edge to align these numbers with the scale indicating the surface area, divide that by the average adult body surface area, and multiply the resulting number by the adult dose.

Answer and Explanation

The Correct Answer is D

Choice A reason: The “shortcut” scale is not a standard method for the West nomogram, which calculates body surface area (BSA) for precise dosing. Using BSA ensures accuracy for a 76-lb, 50-inch child, making this simplified approach incorrect for calculating a safe pediatric medication dosage in clinical practice.

Choice B reason: Aligning height and weight to a percentage of adult dosage is not how the West nomogram works; it calculates BSA. The correct method uses BSA relative to adult BSA, making this incorrect, as it skips the critical step of surface area calculation for accurate pediatric dosing.

Choice C reason: Multiplying height and weight and dividing the adult dosage is not a nomogram method. The West nomogram uses BSA to adjust doses, comparing child and adult surface areas, making this mathematically incorrect and inappropriate for calculating a safe pediatric medication dose for the child.

Choice D reason: The West nomogram calculates a child’s BSA using height (50 inches) and weight (76 lb), then divides by the average adult BSA (1.7 m²) to find the proportion of the adult dose (300 mg). This method ensures accurate pediatric dosing, making it the correct choice for safe administration.

Nursing Test Bank

Quiz #1: RN Exams Pharmacology Exams Quiz #2: RN Exams Medical-Surgical Exams Quiz #3: RN Exams Fundamentals Exams Quiz #4: RN Exams Maternal-Newborn Exams Quiz #5: RN Exams Anatomy and Physiology Exams Quiz #6: RN Exams Obstetrics and Pediatrics Exams Quiz #7: RN Exams Fluid and Electrolytes Exams Quiz #8: RN Exams Community Health Exams Quiz #9: RN Exams Promoting Health across the lifespan Exams Quiz #10: RN Exams Multidimensional care Exams

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

Naxlex Comprehensive Predictor Exams

Quiz #1: Naxlex RN Comprehensive online practice 2019 B with NGN Quiz #2: Naxlex RN Comprehensive Predictor 2023 Quiz #3: Naxlex RN Comprehensive Predictor 2023 Exit Exam A Quiz #4: Naxlex HESI Exit LPN Exam Quiz #5: Naxlex PN Comprehensive Predictor PN 2020 Quiz #6: Naxlex VATI PN Comprehensive Predictor 2020 Quiz #8: Naxlex PN Comprehensive Predictor 2023 - Exam 1 Quiz #10: Naxlex HESI PN Exit exam Quiz #11: Naxlex HESI PN EXIT Exam 2

Free Nursing Study Resources

Correct Answer is B

Explanation

Choice A reason: Placing the infant on the back post-pyloromyotomy risks aspiration during anesthesia recovery, as vomiting is common with pyloric stenosis. Side-lying positioning ensures airway protection, making this unsafe and incorrect for managing the infant’s recovery period effectively after this surgical procedure.

Choice B reason: Positioning the infant on their side with support prevents aspiration and maintains airway patency post-pyloromyotomy, addressing vomiting risks from pyloric stenosis. This aligns with postoperative pediatric nursing standards, making it the most appropriate position during anesthesia recovery for the infant.

Choice C reason: Laying the infant on the stomach is unsafe post-surgery, increasing aspiration and pressure on the surgical site. Side-lying positioning protects the airway and incision, making this incorrect for the infant’s recovery period following pyloromyotomy for pyloric stenosis in the hospital setting.

Choice D reason: Allowing parents to hold the infant may comfort but risks disrupting surgical recovery or airway management during anesthesia effects. Side-lying positioning ensures safety, making this less controlled and incorrect for the immediate postoperative period in this surgical context for the infant.

A. Holding the buttocks tightly together for 1 to 2 minutes after insertion. B. Pre-warming the suppository in the hand for 10 to 20 seconds. C. Using the index finger to insert the suppository into the rectum. D. Placing the child on the abdomen for insertion of the suppository.

Correct Answer is A

Explanation

Choice A reason: Holding the buttocks together for 1-2 minutes after suppository insertion prevents expulsion, ensuring the medication is absorbed in a 3-month-old. This aligns with pediatric medication administration protocols, making it the correct intervention to assure effective delivery of the rectal suppository in this infant.

Choice B reason: Pre-warming the suppository is not standard, as it may soften excessively, complicating insertion. Holding the buttocks ensures retention, directly impacting absorption, making this less effective and incorrect compared to the critical step of preventing expulsion in a 3-month-old during suppository administration.

Choice C reason: Using the index finger is inappropriate for an infant, as the pinky finger is safer for their small rectum. Holding the buttocks ensures medication retention, making this unsafe and incorrect compared to the prioritized intervention for effective suppository administration in a 3-month-old child.

Choice D reason: Placing the child on the abdomen may aid positioning but does not ensure suppository retention like holding the buttocks. Retention is critical for absorption, making this less essential and incorrect compared to the direct intervention of securing the suppository in place post-insertion for the infant.

View Question and Answer

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

Using the West nomogram scale, the nurse needs to calculate the safe dosage of a medication for a child. The child is 50 inches tall and weighs 76 lb. The normal dosage of the medication for an adult is 300 mg. Which of the following is the correct way to use the West nomogram scale?

Nursing Test Bank

Naxlex Comprehensive Predictor Exams

Correct Answer is B

Explanation

The nurse has an order to administer a rectal suppository to a 3-month-old child. In addition to lubricating the suppository, which intervention will help assure appropriate administration of the medication?

Correct Answer is A

Explanation

The nurse is administering an intramuscular injection of an antibiotic to a 3-month-old infant. Which would be the best site for the nurse to give this medication?

The nurse is preparing to teach a class to a group of young parents with infants the basics of introducing solid foods into the diet. Which factor about the food should the nurse point out the infants respond to best when introducing solid foods into the diet?

A 3-year-old who has been attending preschool has been diagnosed with leukemia. The caregivers of this child ask the nurse what they can do to help their child feel secure. Which recommendation could the nurse make to these caregivers that would be helpful in making the child feel secure?

The location of the kidneys in the child in relationship to the location of the kidneys in the adult makes which fact a greater likelihood in the child?

The nurse is reviewing a client’s chart and notes that the child is in droplet precautions for pneumonia. What protection would she need to take in caring for the child?

The pediatric nurse recognizes that what statement is true regarding medications administered via the intravenous route?

A nurse admits a child with a diagnosis of acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL). During each phase of treatment, which would most likely be seen periodically?