A practical nurse is caring for an adult client who was recently diagnosed with a respirat… — NCLEX-PN

A practical nurse is caring for an adult client who was recently diagnosed with a respiratory tract infection. The healthcare provider prescribes oral azithromycin $0.5\text{ g}$ to be administered once daily. The pharmacy dispenses a reconstituted oral suspension labeled $250\text{ mg}/5\text{ mL}$ . How many milliliters ( $\text{mL}$ ) should the nurse administer to the client for each dose?

$10\text{ mL}$ Answer
B
$2\text{ mL}$
C
$5\text{ mL}$
D
$25\text{ mL}$

Answer

The nurse should administer

10\text{ mL}

of the oral suspension per dose.

The correct dose is

10\text{ mL}

. To determine this, the practical nurse must first convert the prescribed

0.5\text{ g}

500\text{ mg}

. Using the standard formula of (Desired / Have) \times Volume, the equation becomes (

500\text{ mg} / 250\text{ mg}

) \times 5\text{ mL}

. This simplifies to

2 \times 5\text{ mL}

, which equals

10\text{ mL}$.

Step-by-Step Solution

Convert the prescribed dose from grams to milligrams to ensure units match the supplied medication.

0.5\text{ g} = 500\text{ mg}

Units of measurement must be identical before a dosage calculation can be accurately performed.

Set up the dosage calculation using the standard formula: (Desired dose / Available dose) x Volume.

(

500\text{ mg} / 250\text{ mg}

) \times 5\text{ mL}$

This formula accounts for both the concentration of the medication and the volume of liquid it is suspended in.

Perform the division and multiplication to find the final volume to administer.

2 \times 5\text{ mL} = 10\text{ mL}

Solving the equation provides the precise volume required to safely deliver the prescribed amount of medication.

Key Concept

Medication Dosage Calculation and Unit Conversion

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Step-by-Step Solution

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