Final answer:
To calculate the volume of morphine sulfate to administer, set up a ratio of the prescribed amount to the available concentration. For 4mg prescribed with an 8mg/ml concentration, the nurse should administer 0.5 ml of morphine sulfate.
Step-by-step explanation:
The healthcare provider has prescribed 4mg of morphine sulfate to be administered IM (intramuscularly) STAT, and the morphine is available at a concentration of 8 mg per ml. To calculate how many milliliters (ml) the nurse should administer, we can set up a simple ratio:
Amount of morphine prescribed: Amount of morphine available per ml = Volume to be administered: 1 ml
4 mg: 8 mg = X ml: 1 ml
By cross-multiplying, we get:
8 mg * X ml = 4 mg * 1 ml
X = (4 mg) / (8 mg/ml)
X = 0.5 ml. Therefore, the nurse should administer 0.5 ml of the morphine sulfate solution.