Final answer:
To administer a dose of 0.125 mg of levothyroxine, the nurse will need to provide 5 tablets of the medication, as each tablet contains 25 mcg, and the prescribed dose equals 125 mcg.
Step-by-step explanation:
The prescription is for 0.125 mg of levothyroxine which is used to treat hypothyroidism, a condition where the thyroid gland does not produce enough thyroid hormone. Given that the tablets available contain 25 mcg (micrograms), we first need to convert the prescribed milligrams (mg) to micrograms (mcg) because the available tablets are quantified in micrograms. We know that 1 mg is equal to 1000 mcg, so 0.125 mg equals to 125 mcg.
To find out how many tablets to administer, we divide the total micrograms needed (125 mcg) by the amount per tablet (25 mcg). 125 mcg ÷ 25 mcg per tablet = 5 tablets. Therefore, the nurse will need to administer 5 tablets of levothyroxine to meet the 0.125 mg dose prescribed for the client.