Final answer:
To determine the number of 250 microgram tablets of digoxin needed for a 0.5 milligram dose, convert the milligrams to micrograms and then divide by the microgram strength per tablet. For a 0.5 milligram dose, equivalent to 500 micrograms, 2 tablets of 250 micrograms each would be required per dose.
Step-by-step explanation:
The student is asking how many 250 microgram tablets of digoxin should be administered per dose if the order is for 0.5 milligrams orally twice a day. First, we need to convert milligrams to micrograms because the dosage strength of the tablets is given in micrograms. There are 1,000 micrograms in a milligram, so 0.5 milligrams is the same as 500 micrograms.
Once we have both quantities in the same unit (micrograms), we can calculate the number of tablets. Since each tablet contains 250 micrograms, we divide the total number of micrograms needed per dose (500 micrograms) by the number of micrograms per tablet (250 micrograms).
500 micrograms ÷ 250 micrograms per tablet = 2 tablets
Therefore, 2 tablets of digoxin should be administered per dose.