Question

A patient weighing 44 lb is prescribed a digoxin (Lanoxin) loading dose of 0.03 mg/kg to be administered in three divided doses. How much will the nurse administer in each dose?

A. 0.2 mg

B. 0.3 mg

C. 0.6 mg

D. 0.4 mg

Answer 1

To determine how much the nurse will administer in each dose, calculate the patient's weight in kg, calculate the total dose, and then divide by the number of divided doses.

Step-by-step explanation:

To determine how much the nurse will administer in each dose, we need to calculate the patient's weight in kg. Since the patient's weight is given in pounds, we need to convert it to kg by dividing it by 2.2046.
44 lb ÷ 2.2046 = 20 kg.

Next, we can calculate the total dose by multiplying the patient's weight in kg by the loading dose prescribed.
20 kg × 0.03 mg/kg = 0.6 mg.

Finally, we divide the total dose by the number of divided doses to find out how much will be administered in each dose.
0.6 mg ÷ 3 divided doses = 0.2 mg.

Therefore, the nurse will administer 0.2 mg in each dose.