Question

A nurse has accepted a verbal prescription for "three tenths of a milligram of levothyroxine IV stat"for a client who has myxedema coma. How should the nurse transcribe the dosage of this medication in the client's medical record? a) 0.3 mg of levothyroxine IV stat.

b) Three tenths of a milligram of levothyroxine IV stat.
c) 0.30 mg of levothyroxine IV stat.
d) 3/10 mg of levothyroxine IV stat.

Answer 1

The correct way to transcribe 'three tenths of a milligram' for a medication like levothyroxine is to use decimal notation, which would be 0.3 mg of levothyroxine IV stat. This method ensures clarity and minimizes the risk of dosing errors.

Step-by-step explanation:

When transcribing a verbal prescription for medication, it is essential to use clear and standard notation to prevent any dosing errors. In this case, for the prescription of 'three tenths of a milligram of levothyroxine IV stat', the most appropriate and widely accepted method to transcribe this dosage is by using decimal notation. Therefore, the correct transcription should be:

a) 0.3 mg of levothyroxine IV stat.

This format clearly indicates the dose in milligrams and uses standard decimal notation, which minimizes the risk of misinterpretation.

Additional zeros following the decimal point are typically unnecessary unless they serve a specific purpose, such as indicating a precise dosage value or to conform to a facility's specific notation policy. Therefore, while option c, 0.30 mg, is not incorrect, it is generally not required. Using words as in option b, or fractions as in option d, is less common and could be prone to error in emergency situations where time is of the essence and clarity is paramount.