Medication Math Cheat Sheet
Important Conversions Rules of Rounding: Injection Calculations:
Less than 1.0 = round to nearest hundredth.
1 oz = 30 mL Orders: Administer Enoxaparin 40mg SC per day
Greater than 1.0 = round to the nearest tenth.
1 tsp = 5 mL Leading zeros are significant. Available: 3 mL vial - 100 mg/mL
1 TBS = 15 mL Whole numbers exclude decimals and trailing zeros.
Question: How many mL Enoxaparin will you admininster per the order
Ex: 220.0 mL = 200 mL
1 cup = 240 mL = 8 oz
So, we do simple dimensional analysis:
1 kg = 2.2 lbs
1 mg = 1,000 mcg
Pill/Tablet Calculations: mL? =
1 mL
x 40 mg =
40 mg
= 0.4 mL per dose
100 mg 100 mg
Order: Administer Advil 200 mg 3 times per day.
1 g = 1,000 mg
Available: 100 mg tablets
1 L = 1,000 mL How many tablets will you administer
Question: per dose? Mixtures & Solutions:
Memorize 1 tablet 200 mg Desired dose
these! x = 2 tabs/dose x Stock Volume = Amount of solution to be given
100 mg x tabs Stock Strength
Dimensional Analysis Step-By-Step: IV Drug Calculations:
Order: Administer digoxin 0.5 mg IV daily. Basic Dosage Calculations:
Available: Drug concentration from the pharmacy is digoxin 0.25
D (desired dose)
mg/mL. x V (volume) = Dose
H (amount on hand)
1 Identify the unit that you're starting with (underline it) and the unit you
want to end up with (circle it):
mL? IV Drips in mcg/minute:
On the right side, put the information given with the same label needed in the mg 1,000mcg mL x 1 hour
2 numerator. For this patient we know we have 0.25mg/mL available. So, we will put x x = mcg/minute
the mL in the numerator, and the 0.25 mg as the denominator mL 1 mL 1 hour 60 minutes
mL
mL? = 0.25 mg
3 The desired dose is 0.5 mg. SO we put the information with the same units as the IV Drips in unit per hour:
numerator to cancel out mg. We repeat this step until all unwanted units cancel
out. mL D (desired) x V (volume) = units/hour (# mL x units/mL = dose)
mL? = 0.25 mg x 0.5 mg =
You then multiple the numbers across numerator to numerator, denominator to
H (on hand)
4 denominator. And divide the final numbers numerator by the denominator. Make
sure your unit ends up being what you originally need for administration.
mL
mL? = 0.25 mg x 0.5 mg =
0.5 mL IV flow rates (electronic pumps):
0.25 = 2 mL
Answer: 2 mL of digoxin per day! Order: Administer 1,000 mL NS over 8 hours.
Volume 1,000 mL NS = 125 mL/hr
= x mL/hr
Time 8 hours
Weight Based Calculations:
Orders: Administer Dilantin 50 mg PO daily. Liquid Calculations:
Reference: 5-10 mg/kg/daily is the safe range.
Weight: 30 lbs known mL ordered mg
x = medication dose in mL
Question: What is the lowest dose appropriate for this patient? known mg x
5 mg. 30 lbs 1 kg 150
1 kg
x 1
x 2.2 lbs
= 2.2
= 68mg/day
5 Medication Rights: the right patient, the right drug, the right time, the right
Repeat the same process for highest dose appropriate with applicable amount
NSW
dose, and the right route
Nursing Student World