Pediatric practice problems with answers

Directions: The medication order is at the beginning of each problem.

Calculate the childs weight in kilograms, determine the safe recommended dosage or range,
determine the safety of the order, and calculate the drug dose.

1. Order: Maintenance dose of Digoxin elixir 0.075 mg q 12h po for a 33 lb, 18-month-old child.

Manufacturers recommendation for maintenance dose: children under 2 years of age is 0.01-0.02
mg/kg daily in divided doses q 12h.

Available: Digoxin elixir 0.05 mg/mL.

Is the order safe: ______Yes_____

If safe, administer _____1.5______mL

15 kg range: 0.15-0.3 mg/day, 0.075-0.15 mg/dose

2. Order: Lasix 20 mg IM stat for a 7-year-old weighing 44 lbs.

Manufacturers recommended initial dose for Lasix is 1-2 mg/kg

Available: Lasix 40 mg/mL

Is the order safe: ___Yes__________

If safe, administer ___0.5_______mL

20 kg range: 20-40 mg/dose

3. Order: Gentamycin 6 mg/kg/day in three divided doses IM for an 18-month-old who weighs 24 lb.

Manufacturers recommended dosage: 2-2.5 mg/kg q 8h.

Available: Gentamycin multi-dose vial 40 mg/mL

Is the order safe: ____Yes________

If safe, administer ____0.55___mL

10.9 kg range: 21.8- 27.3 6 mg x 10.9 = 65.4 3 = 21.8 mg/dose

4. Order: Ancef 30 mg/kg/day in 3 divided doses IM for a 9-month-old who weighs 32 lb.

Manufacturers recommended dosage: 25-50 mg/kg/day in 3 divided doses

Available: Ancef 500 mg: to reconstitute, dilute with 2 mL of sterile water to yield a volume of 2.2 mL.

Is the order safe: _____Yes_______

If safe, administer ____0.64__________mL

14.5 kg range: 362.5-725 mg/day; 120.8-241.7 mg/dose; Ordered: 30 mg x 14.5 = 435 3 = 145
mg/dose

145 mg x 2.2 mL = 0.64 mL

500 mg

5. Order: Vistaril 0.5 mg/lb IM stat for a10-year-old who weighs 35 kg

Manufacturers recommended dosage: 0.5 mg/lb/dose

Available: Vistaril muti-dose vial 25 mg/mL

Is the order safe: ___Yes_________

If safe, administer ___1.5___________mL

35 kg = 77 lb 0.5 x 77 = 38.5 mg

6. Order: Inderal 25 mg po bid for a 13-year-old weighing 99 lb

Manufacturers recommended pediatric dose is 0.5 mg/kg bid

Available: Inderal 10 mg/tab

Is the order safe: ____No________

If safe, administer ______________tab(s)

45 kg 0.5 x 45 = 22.5 mg/dose

7. Order: Amikacin 300 mg IM q 12h for an 11-year-old weighing 83 lb

Manufacturers recommended dosage: 7.5 mg/kg bid

Available: Amikacin single dose injectable 500 mg/2 mL

Is the order safe: _____No too high_______

If safe, administer ______________mL

37.7 kg 7.5 x 37.7 = 282.8/dose

8. Order: Clindamycin 15 mg po q 8h for a 12-month-old who weighs 19 lb

Manufacturers recommended dosage: 2-2.5 mg/kg/day in 3-4 divided doses.

Available: Clindamycin oral solution 10 mg/5 mL

Is the order safe: _____no too high_______

If safe, administer ______________mL

8.6 kg; range 17.2-21.5 mg/day, 5.7-7.2 mg/dose

9. Order: Lanoxin pediatric elixir 120 mcg po q 8h for a 1-year-old who weighs 22 lb

Manufacturers recommended loading dose is 35-60 mcg/kg/day in 3 divided doses

Available: Lanoxin pediatric elixir 0.05 mg/mL

Is the order safe: ___Yes_________

If safe, administer ____2.4__________mL

10 kg range 350 mcg-600 mcg/day; 116.7-200 mcg/dose

0.05 mg = 50 mcg/mL
10. Order: Demerol 1mg/kg IM stat. Childs weight is 33 pounds.

Manufacturers recommended dose: 1 mg/kg

Available is Demerol 25 mg/mL.

Is the order safe: ___Yes_________

If safe, administer ___0.6___________mL

15 kg; 1 x 15 = 15 mg

11. The physician orders Keflex 250 mg q.i.d. for a child weighing 50 lb. You have Keflex 250-mg
capsules. The recommended daily po dosage for a child is 25 to 50 mg/kg/day in divided doses q 6 h.

Is the order safe: ____Yes________

If safe, administer ______1________caps

22.7 kg; range 567.5 1135 mg/24h

12. The physician orders Benadryl 25 mg IV q6 h for a child weighing 50 lb. You have available Benadryl
12.5 mg/mL. The recommended daily dosage for a child weighing more than 12 kg is 5 mg- 7 mg/kg/24 h
in four divided doses.

Is the order safe: ___No too low_________

If safe, administer ______________mL

22.7 kg; 113.5 mg-158.9 mg/day; 28.4 39.7 mg/dose

13. The physician orders Dilantin 60 mg po q12 h for a child weighing 40 lb. You have Dilantin 30-mg
chewable tablets available. The recommended oral dosage for a child is 5 to 7 mg/kg/24 h in divided
doses q 12h.

Is the order safe: __Yes__________

If safe, administer _____2_________tabs

18.2 kg; range 91 127.4 mg/24h; 45.5 63.7 mg/dose

14. Order: Dilantin 8 mg/kg/day p. o. divided into 2 doses. The manufacturers recommended dose is 8-
10 mg/kg/day divided equally in 2 doses. The infants weight is 9 lbs 4 oz. Available is Dilantin
Suspension 30 mg/5 mL.

Is the order safe: ___Yes_________

If safe, administer ___2.8___________mL

4.2 kg; order: 8 mg x 4.2kg = 33.63 mg/day, 16.8 mg/dose

Recommended: order is in same range

15. Order: Morphine sulfate 1 mg/kg/dose IV. Child weighs 40 lbs. Available is Morphine sulfate 10
mg/mL. Manufacturers recommended dose is 1 mg/kg/dose.

Is the order safe: _____yes_______

If safe, administer ____1.8__________mL

18.2 kg;

16. Order: Phenobarbital 100 mg po q 12 h. The recommended maintenance dose is 3-5 mg/kg/day. The
child weighs 30 kg. Available is Phenobarbital 50 mg/5 mL

Is the order safe: ____No-too high________

If safe, administer ______________mL

range 90 150 mg/day; 45-75 mg/dose

17. The recommended dose of Calcijex for IV use in children is 0.05 mcg/kg/day. Available is Calcijex
single dose ampule with 2 mcg/mL. If 1.25 mcg IV is ordered, how much would you give a child weighing
55 lb?

Is the order safe: ___Yes_________

If safe, administer _____0.63_________mL

25 kg; 0.05 x 25 = 1.25 mcg

18. Order: Sandostatin 80 mcg subcut q 12h for a child weighing 18 lb. The manufacturers
recommended dose is 1-10 mcg/kg/day in 2 equally divided doses.

On hand is: Sandosatatin 100 mcg/mL

Is the order safe: ____No________

If safe, administer ______________mL

8.2 kg; range 8.2 82 mcg/day; 4.2-41 mcg/dose

19. Order: Prilosec 4.8 mg po qid for a child weighing 42 lb

Manufacturers recommended minimum dosage is 0.7 mg/kg/dose orally qid

Available: Prilosec 3 mg/mL

Is the order safe: ____No- too low________

If safe, administer ______________mL

19.1 kg; 0.7 x 19.1 = 13.37 mg/dose