Nursing Dosage Calculations - Easier Than You Think! Example Problems 1- 3 | @LevelUpRN

Level Up RN
17 Aug 201905:58
EducationalLearning
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TLDRThe video series guides viewers through dosing calculations for medical professionals, focusing on converting between units of measurement for accurate medication administration. It covers oral dosing with tablets and capsules, liquid medications, and calculating doses for IV, IM, and subcutaneous injections. The presenter uses practical examples and step-by-step calculations, emphasizing the importance of unit conversion and providing a clear methodology for determining the correct dosage.

Takeaways
  • 📝 The video series focuses on dosing calculations, providing extra help for those who need it.
  • 📑 Problems and answer keys are available on the website LevelUpRN.com for practice and self-assessment.
  • 💊 The first problem involves calculating an oral dose of a medication prescribed as tablets or capsules.
  • 🔄 Conversion from grams to milligrams is necessary when the medication dosage is in mg and the available medication is in g.
  • 🧾 For the second problem, a liquid medication dosage calculation is demonstrated, highlighting the conversion from grams to milliliters.
  • 💉 The third problem covers calculating doses for IV, IM, or subcutaneous administration, using units of medication in milliliters.
  • 👨‍⚕️ Understanding the ordered dosage and the concentration of the available medication is crucial for accurate calculation.
  • 🕒 Calculations include determining the amount of medication per dose and the total volume administered over a specified period, such as 24 hours.
  • 📌 The script emphasizes the importance of starting with the ordered dose and performing necessary conversions to match the problem's unit of measure.
  • 📈 Using a calculator is recommended for performing the multiplications and divisions involved in the calculations.
  • 📚 The video series serves as an educational tool for healthcare professionals to improve their dosing calculation skills.
Q & A

  • What is the main topic of the video series?

    -The main topic of the video series is working through dosing calculations for medications.

  • Where can the dosing calculation problems be found?

    -The dosing calculation problems can be found on the website LevelUpRN.com.

  • How many problems will be worked through in the video series?

    -There will be nine problems worked through in the video series.

  • What was the prescribed dose for the first problem?

    -The prescribed dose for the first problem was 0.4g of medication every eight hours.

  • How many capsules should the patient receive according to the first problem?

    -The patient should receive two capsules for the dose ordered in the first problem.

  • What is the ordered dose for the second problem?

    -The ordered dose for the second problem is 0.5g of a liquid medication every 12 hours.

  • How many milliliters should be administered for the liquid medication in the second problem?

    -10 milliliters of the liquid medication should be administered for the second problem.

  • What is the medication order for the third problem?

    -The medication order for the third problem is 5,000 units of heparin to be given every eight hours.

  • How many milliliters of heparin should be given per dose according to the third problem?

    -0.5 milliliters of heparin should be given per dose in the third problem.

  • What is the total amount of heparin in milliliters given over a 24-hour period in the third problem?

    -A total of 1.5 milliliters of heparin is given over a 24-hour period in the third problem.

  • How often is the heparin dose given in the third problem?

    -The heparin dose is given every eight hours in the third problem.

  • What is the concentration of the liquid medication available for the second problem?

    -The concentration of the liquid medication available for the second problem is 250mg in 5ml.

Outlines
00:00
📝 Dosing Calculations for Oral Medications

This paragraph introduces the video series focused on dosing calculations, particularly for oral medications. The speaker mentions having nine problems available on their website, LevelUpRN.com, for viewers to practice along. The first problem discussed involves calculating the correct oral dose of a medication in tablet or capsule form. The speaker provides a step-by-step guide on converting grams to milligrams and determining the number of capsules needed based on a prescription for 0.4g every eight hours, using 200mg capsules as an example. The second problem extends the discussion to liquid medications, explaining how to calculate the required milliliters of a 0.5g liquid dose every 12 hours when the medication is available at a concentration of 250mg in 5ml. The third problem shifts to calculating doses for injections, such as IV, IM, or subcutaneous administration, using an example of heparin. The speaker explains how to find the volume of medication to administer per dose and over a 24-hour period based on a prescription for 5,000 units every eight hours and a concentration of 10,000 units/ml.

05:10
💉 Calculation of IV, IM, and Subcutaneous Doses

The second paragraph continues the discussion on calculating medication doses, focusing on injections like IV, IM, and subcutaneous administration. The example provided involves calculating the correct dosage of heparin, with an order for 5,000 units every eight hours. The speaker explains the process of converting the dosage from units to milliliters, given that the available medication concentration is 10,000 units per milliliter. The calculation results in a 0.5ml dose per administration. To find the total volume administered over a 24-hour period, the speaker multiplies the single dose volume by the number of administrations in a day (every eight hours), resulting in a total of 1.5 milliliters over the 24-hour period. This method ensures accurate and safe medication administration for patients.

Mindmap
Keywords
💡dosing calculations
Dosing calculations refer to the process of determining the correct amount of medication to administer to a patient. In the context of the video, it is central to ensuring that patients receive the appropriate dosages of their prescribed medications, whether oral, intravenous, or other forms. The video provides step-by-step instructions on how to perform these calculations, using real-world examples to illustrate the process.
💡oral dose
An oral dose is the amount of medication that is taken by mouth, typically in the form of tablets, capsules, or liquids. In the video, the calculation of an oral dose involves converting the prescribed amount from grams to milligrams when necessary, and then determining how many tablets or capsules are equivalent to the required dose.
💡conversion
Conversion in the context of the video refers to the process of changing one unit of measurement to another, such as from grams to milligrams. This is essential in dosing calculations to ensure that the medication is prepared in the correct quantity, matching the prescribed dosage.
💡liquid medication
Liquid medication is a form of medication that is in a liquid state, which can be administered orally or through other routes such as intravenous infusion. In the video, calculating the dosage for a liquid medication involves determining the volume of liquid that contains the required amount of the active ingredient.
💡IV, IM, subcutaneous dose
Intravenous (IV), Intramuscular (IM), and subcutaneous injections are methods of administering medication directly into the body. IV is administered into the bloodstream through a vein, IM into the muscle, and subcutaneous under the skin. The video discusses calculating the dosage for these routes, focusing on the amount of medication to be injected per dose and over a 24-hour period.
💡units of medication
Units of medication are a standardized measure used to express the quantity of certain drugs, particularly those like insulin or heparin that are not easily measured in grams or milligrams. These units are specific to the medication and ensure the correct dosage is administered.
💡website
The website mentioned in the video, LevelUpRN.com, serves as a resource for additional problems and answer keys related to dosing calculations. It is a platform where viewers can access supplementary material to practice and verify their calculations independently.
💡answer key
An answer key is a document that provides the correct solutions to problems or questions, used for checking and verifying the accuracy of one's work. In the context of the video, the answer key is a resource that allows viewers to assess their understanding and application of dosing calculations by comparing their answers to the correct solutions.
💡milligrams
Milligrams (mg) is a unit of mass used in the field of medicine to express the dosage of medication. It is one-thousandth of a gram and is commonly used for measuring the strength of a drug in pharmaceutical preparations.
💡milliliters
Milliliters (mL) is a unit of volume used to measure the volume of liquids. In the context of the video, milliliters are used to determine the volume of liquid medication that should be administered to a patient, based on the prescribed dosage and the concentration of the medication.
💡prescription
A prescription is a medical instruction from a healthcare provider that authorizes the administration of a specific medication at a specified dosage. In the video, prescriptions serve as the starting point for dosing calculations, providing the necessary information to determine the correct amount of medication for each patient.
Highlights

The video series focuses on dosing calculations, providing practical help for nursing professionals.

Nine dosing calculation problems are available for practice on LevelUpRN.com.

An answer key is provided for independent problem-solving and self-assessment.

The first problem involves calculating an oral dose for a medication prescribed as a tablet or capsule.

A conversion from grams to milligrams is necessary for accurate dosing calculation.

The example calculation shows how to determine the number of capsules or tablets for a prescribed dose.

The second problem deals with calculating a dose for a liquid medication.

Dosing calculations for liquids require understanding the concentration of the medication in milliliters.

The video demonstrates converting grams to milligrams and then calculating the required milliliters for the dose.

The third problem covers calculating doses for IV, IM, or subcutaneous administration.

An example of calculating heparin dosage from units per milliliter is provided.

The method for determining the volume of medication to be administered per dose is explained.

The video also calculates the total volume of medication given over a 24-hour period.

The process of starting with the ordered dose and converting units is emphasized for problem-solving.

The video series is a valuable resource for nursing professionals to enhance their dosing calculation skills.

Each problem is walked through step by step, promoting a clear understanding of dosing calculations.

The video series aims to improve accuracy and confidence in medication administration.

Transcripts

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