Final answer:
To administer the medication, you would need to give the patient 2 mL of the drug.
Step-by-step explanation:
To determine the number of mL of the drug to administer, we need to calculate the dosage based on the weight of the patient and the concentration of the medication. The physician has ordered 0.5 mg/kg of the medication. The patient weighs 40 kg. So, the total dosage required is:
Total dosage = 0.5 mg/kg * 40 kg = 20 mg
The medication is supplied in a 10 mg/mL solution. To calculate the volume of the drug to administer, we divide the total dosage required by the concentration:
Volume = Total dosage / Concentration = 20 mg / 10 mg/mL = 2 mL
Therefore, you would administer 2 mL of the drug to the patient.