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Nurse Chris is determining the insulin to administer to Derek. Prescribed is insulin 0.4 units/kg/day subq in four divided doses. Derek weighs 88 lb. Which of the following dosages should Nurse Chris plan to administer?

a) 8 units per dose
b) 16 units per dose
c) 32 units per dose
d) 64 units per dose

User Pinkgothic
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1 Answer

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Final answer:

Upon converting Derek's weight to kilograms and calculating the prescribed insulin dosage, the correct dosage per dose should be 4 units, assuming four doses per day. The provided options do not exactly match the calculated dose, which indicates a possible mistake in the question.

Step-by-step explanation:

The question posed is related to determining the correct dosage of insulin for a patient based on their weight. First, we need to convert Derek's weight from pounds to kilograms, knowing that 1 kg = 2.2 lb. So Derek's weight in kilograms is 88 lb ÷ 2.2 kg/lb = 40 kg. According to the prescription, Derek needs 0.4 units/kg/day. Therefore, the total daily insulin dosage is 0.4 units/kg × 40 kg = 16 units/day. Since this dosage is to be divided into four doses, each dose should be 16 units/day ÷ 4 = 4 units per dose. As this is not one of the options provided, the question appears to have a mistake. However, based on the options given, a possible approximation could be made. The closest correct answer from the provided choices would be option (a) 8 units per dose, which is double the calculated dose. It's important to clarify this discrepancy with the person who posed the question to ensure patient safety and accuracy in medication administration.

User InYeopTTi
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