Medication Calculations

Medication Calculation Practice
Tips for Correct Calculations:

 Make sure that all measurements are in the same units. If necessary, convert
between units.
 In most cases, it is best to convert a larger unit to smaller units (e.g. convert
grams to milligrams). This conversion uses multiplication and most often
keeps the calculation in whole numbers.
 Always check for reasonableness of your answer. Does the drug dosage
make sense? (Amounts less than half a tablet or greater than 3 tablets are not
common, but still possible.)
 When solving dosage problems for drugs supplied in capsules, the quantity
is always 1 because the supply dosage is per capsule.
Universal Formula for Medication Calculation:
In the universal formula, the desired amount (D) is the dose prescribed by the
provider. The amount on hand (H) is the dose on the container label. The volume
(V) is the form and amount in which the drug is supplied (i.e. tablet, capsule,
liquid). To use this formula, divide the desired amount by the amount on hand and
multiply by the volume.
Example 2: The doctor orders 90 milligrams of liquid cough syrup. The liquid
cough syrup has a label that reads 120 milligrams (mg for short) in 5 milliliters (or
mL for short). How much cough syrup should the nurse give to the patient?
Given: D = 90 mg, H = 120 mg, Q = 5 mL
Dosage Calculations based on Body Weight
Dosage calculations based on body weight are required when the dosage ordered
and administered is dependent on the weight of the patient. For example, many
pediatric drugs are ordered and given per weight (usually in kg). Dosage
calculations based on body weight are calculated in two main stages.
Calculating IV Flow Rates/ hr.:

To find hourly rate (stated in mls per hour)
Example: 1000 cc IV solution ordered to infuse over 8 hours.

Answer: 125 ml/hour
To find flow rate stated in drops per minute:

Drop factor is the number of drops it takes to equal 1 ml with a specific type of IV
tubing. The drop factor is stated on the tubing package
Example: IV order D51/2 NS at 120 ml/hr. The drop factor is a 15 gtts./ml and the
flow rate is 120 ml/hr.
IV drip calculations
Order is written as mg/hr.
Example: Order: Fentanyl 5 mg/hr. The bag is labeled 250 mg in 500 ml of
solution. How fast will the IV need to be infused to give the correct dose?
1. The IV rate will be as an hourly rate, so no conversion needs to be made for
time. If the order was written with a different time, you would need to
calculate the mg/hr. (use ratio and proportion)
2. Put the problem in ratio and proportion.
Calculate the following
1- Paracetamol 500 mg tablets are supplied. Medical orders 1.5 g. How many tablets should be
given to the patient?
2- The doctor orders “ibuprofen 600 mg PO BID”. You have 300 mg tablets of ibuprofen on hand.
How many tablets should be given to the patient on 24 hours?
3- The physician ordered “enalapril maleate 7.5 mg PO daily.” You have 5 mg tablets of enalapril
maleate available on hand. How many tablets should be given to the patient at one time?
4- Atenolol 0.05 g capsules are supplied. MD orders 100 mg. How many capsules should be given
to the patient?
5- The order says, “erythromycin suspension 600 mg PO q6h.” The supply on hand is erythromycin
400 mg per 5 mL. How many milliliters of medication should be given to the patient?
6- The physician ordered “penicillin V potassium 400 000 units PO QID”. You have penicillin V
potassium 200 000 units per 5 mL. How many milliliters should be given to the patient?
7- An IV drip has a drop factor of 60. The volume to be administered is 180mL over 5 hours. How
many drops per minute will it be?
8- Physician ordered 1,500mL of normal saline over 6 hours, how many millilitres will the patient
received within the 3 hours?
9- A patient needs 2.5g of a medication that comes in 20mg/5mL. How much of the solution will be
given?
10- 1.5L N/Saline 0.9% has been running for 30 minutes at a 6-hourly rate. How many mL have
been administered already?
11- A patient is prescribed prednisolone 40 mg once daily in the morning for 5 days. Dose on hand
is 5 mg/ tablet. Answer the following questions:
a) How many tablets should you give the patient every morning?
b) What is the total number of tablets required to complete the course?
12- 2.5L N/Saline 0.9% is running at a 12-hourly rate, which commenced at 0800hrs. At 1200hrs the
doctor requests for the remaining volume to be run over 4 hours. Calculate the mL per hour for
the remaining volume.
13- 1500mL N/Saline 0.9% is running at a 6-hourly rate, which commenced at 1500hrs. At 1630hrs
the doctor requests for the remaining volume to be run over 3 hours. Calculate the mL per hour
for the remaining volume.

Medication Calculations

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Medication Calculations

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Medication Calculation Practice

Tips for Correct Calculations:

Calculating IV Flow Rates/ hr.:

Example: 1000 cc IV solution ordered to infuse over 8 hours.

To find flow rate stated in drops per minute:

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