Question

acetaminophen 15 mg/kg is prescribed for a preschooler who weighs 44 lb. each 5 ml of solution contains 160 mg. how many milliliters of acetaminophen should the nurse administer? record your answer rounding to one decimal place.

Answer 1

To calculate the dosage, convert the child's weight to kilograms and multiply by the prescribed dosage, then divide by the concentration of the solution. The nurse should administer 9.4 ml of acetaminophen.

Step-by-step explanation:

Calculating Medication Dosage for Acetaminophen

To determine how many milliliters of acetaminophen the nurse should administer, we start by converting the preschooler’s weight from pounds to kilograms, since the dosage is prescribed in mg/kg. Since there are 2.2 pounds in a kilogram, the child's weight in kilograms is 44 lb ÷ 2.2 = 20 kg. We then calculate the total dosage needed by multiplying the child’s weight in kg by the prescribed mg/kg dosage: 20 kg × 15 mg/kg = 300 mg.

To find out how many milliliters of the solution to administer, we divide the total dosage needed by the concentration of the solution. The solution contains 160 mg per 5 ml, so we have 300 mg ÷ 160 mg/5ml = 9.375 ml. Rounding to one decimal place, the nurse should administer 9.4 ml of the acetaminophen solution.

Key Points to Remember With Acetaminophen

• Avoid exceeding the recommended dosage to prevent liver damage.
• Be mindful of the concentration differences between infants' and children's formulas.
• Always read and follow the directions on the label for safe use.