Question

The nurse is preparing to administer acetaminophen 7.5 mg/kg PO to a pediatric client. The client weighs 20 kg. How many milligrams per dose should the nurse administer to the client?

Answer 1

The nurse should administer a total dose of 150 mg of acetaminophen to the 20 kg pediatric patient, calculated by multiplying the patient's weight by the recommended dosage of 7.5 mg/kg.

Step-by-step explanation:

The question posed by the student involves calculating the correct dosage of acetaminophen for a pediatric patient, which is a common task in the field of medicine, particularly in nursing. The instructions provided are to administer acetaminophen at a dose of 7.5 mg/kg by mouth. Given the patient's weight of 20 kg, we need to perform a simple multiplication to determine the total dosage in milligrams.

To calculate the correct dose, the following steps should be taken:

1. Multiply the patient's weight by the dosage per kilogram: 20 kg × 7.5 mg/kg.
2. Perform the multiplication: 20 × 7.5 = 150 mg.

Therefore, the nurse should administer a total dose of 150 mg of acetaminophen to the patient per administration.

It is critical to remember that accurate dosage calculation is vital for patient safety, and overdosing can lead to severe consequences such as liver damage. Healthcare professionals must always adhere to recommended dosage guidelines and be cautious when treating pediatric clients, as they require more specific dosing calculations compared to adults.