Final answer:
To administer the prescribed 10 mg of Valium with a concentration of 5 mg/ml, one must give 2 ml of the medication intramuscularly.
Step-by-step explanation:
The student's question pertains to the calculation of medication dosage in a clinical setting, specifically the administration of Valium (diazepam) for treating agitation.
Given the order of Valium 10 mg IM (intramuscularly) every 8 hours and having on hand a concentration of Valium 5mg/ml, the calculation involves basic arithmetic to find the correct volume to administer to the patient.
To administer 10 mg of Valium when the available concentration is 5 mg/ml, one must divide the required dose by the concentration of the medication on hand.
This results in: Dose (mg) / Concentration (mg/ml) = Volume (ml), So in this case: 10 mg / 5 mg/ml = 2 ml. Thus, the appropriate volume to administer would be 2 ml of the Valium solution.