Question

The nurse is to administer 25 mg of meperidine (Demerol). The vial states that it contains meperidine 50mg/1 mL. How much medication should the nurse draw up for the ordered dosage?

Answer 1

To administer the ordered dose of 25 mg of meperidine, the nurse should draw up 0.5 mL of the medication from the vial.

Step-by-step explanation:

The nurse needs to administer an ordered dosage of 25 mg of meperidine (Demerol). The vial available contains meperidine at a concentration of 50 mg/1 mL. To calculate the volume of medication the nurse should draw up, the following steps are involved:

• Identify the ordered dose: 25 mg of meperidine.
• Determine the concentration of available medication: 50 mg/1 mL.
• Calculate the volume of medication needed to provide the ordered dose using the ratio of the available concentration.

To find the volume (V) required for the ordered dose (D), we can set up a proportion using the concentration (C) of the vial:

D/C = V/1 mL

Thus, to find the volume V, we rearrange the equation:

V = D/C

Substitute the values:

V = 25 mg / (50 mg/1 mL)

Simplify and calculate the volume:

V = 0.5 mL

Therefore, to administer the ordered dose of 25 mg of meperidine, the nurse should draw up 0.5 mL of the medication from the vial.