A practical nurse (PN) is preparing to administer a prescribed dose of cefdinir oral suspension to a pediatric client with acute otitis media. The client's weight is 27 pounds 8 ounces. The provider's prescription reads: cefdinir 14 mg/kg/day by mouth, divided in equal doses every 12 hours. The pharmacy supplies a bottle of cefdinir powder for oral suspension. The reconstitution instructions on the label state: "Add 38 mL of sterile water to the bottle to yield a final concentration of 125 mg/5 mL." How many milliliters (mL) should the PN administer for a single dose? (Record answer to the nearest tenth. Do not include units in answer.)
Answer: 3.5 mL
Answer
3.5
To determine the correct volume to administer, the nurse must execute four specific calculations. First, convert the weight of 27 pounds 8 ounces to kilograms (). Second, calculate the total daily dose (). Third, divide the daily dose by the frequency (every 12 hours = 2 doses per day; ). Finally, use dimensional analysis with the reconstituted concentration ( in ) to find the volume: () . The of diluent is distractor information required only during the actual mixing process.
Step-by-Step Solution
Key Concept
Pediatric Weight-Based Dosage Calculation with Reconstitution