7

CHAPTER

113

Dose Calculations

Calculating the proper dose of medication is a critical aspect of administering

medicine to a patient. Although the prescriber specifies a dose in the medication

order, the dose prescribed may not be the same as the dose that is on hand, requir-

ing the nurse to calculate a comparable dose based on available medication.

With intravenous (IV) medications, the prescriber might order a dose to be

infused into the patient over a specific amount of time. The nurse must use this

information to calculate the drip rate, which is used to set the IV so medication

is administered at the proper rate.

Some medication orders prescribe a dose according to the patient’s weight.

The nurse is responsible for weighing the patient and then applying a formula

provided by the prescriber to calculate the actual dose.

This chapter teaches you how to perform on hand calculations, IV calcula-

tions, and weight calculation in order to determine the proper amount of med-

ication to administer.

The Metric System and Medication

Medication is prescribed in measurements of the metric system. Some students

become anxious at just the mention of calculations. If you feel anxious and pan-

icky, relax. We’ll show you the easy way to perform these calculations.

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