Question

The order for enoxaparin (Lovenox) reads: Give 1 mg/kg subcutaneously every 12 hours. The patient weighs 242 lbs, and the medication is available in an injection form of 120 mg/0.8 mL. How many milligrams will this patient receive? How many milliliters will the nurse draw up for the injection? Round to the hundredths.

Option 1: 262.40 mg; 1.75 mL
Option 2: 221.90 mg; 1.48 mL
Option 3: 198.20 mg; 1.32 mL
Option 4: 242.00 mg; 1.61 mL

Answer 1

To calculate the amount of enoxaparin (Lovenox) the patient will receive, divide the patient's weight by 2.2 to convert it to kilograms and then multiply it by the prescribed dose. To determine the volume needed for the injection, use the concentration of the medication. The correct answer is Option 1: 262.40 mg; 1.75 mL.

Step-by-step explanation:

To calculate the amount of enoxaparin (Lovenox) that the patient will receive, we need to use the patient's weight and the prescribed dose. The patient weighs 242 lbs, so we need to convert this weight to kilograms by dividing it by 2.2 (since 1 lb = 0.45 kg) to get approximately 110 kg. The prescribed dose is 1 mg/kg, so the patient will receive 1 mg/kg x 110 kg = 110 mg of enoxaparin.

To determine the volume that the nurse needs to draw up for the injection, we need to use the concentration of the medication. The medication is available in an injection form of 120 mg/0.8 mL. Since the patient needs 110 mg of enoxaparin, we can calculate the volume as follows:

Volume (mL) = (110 mg x 0.8 mL) / 120 mg = 0.733 mL (rounded to the hundredths).

Therefore, the correct answer is Option 1: 262.40 mg; 1.75 mL.