A client receives a prescription for acetaminophen 1,000 mg by mouth every 8 hours as needed for pain

A client receives a prescription for acetaminophen 1,000 mg by mouth every 8 hours as needed for pain. The bottle is labeled “Acetaminophen for Oral Suspension, USP 500 mg per 15 mL.” How many tablespoons should the nurse instruct the client to take with each dose? (Enter numerical value only.)

The Correct Answer and Explanation is:

To determine how many tablespoons the client should take per dose, follow these steps:

1. Convert the Dosage from Milligrams to Milliliters:
   • The prescribed dosage is 1,000 mg of acetaminophen.
   • The concentration of the oral suspension is 500 mg per 15 mL.
   To find out how many milliliters are needed to administer 1,000 mg:Volume (mL)=Desired Dose (mg)Concentration (mg/mL)\text{Volume (mL)} = \frac{\text{Desired Dose (mg)}}{\text{Concentration (mg/mL)}}Volume (mL)=Concentration (mg/mL)Desired Dose (mg)​First, calculate the concentration in mg/mL:Concentration=500 mg15 mL=33.3‾ mg/mL\text{Concentration} = \frac{500 \text{ mg}}{15 \text{ mL}} = 33.\overline{3} \text{ mg/mL}Concentration=15 mL500 mg​=33.3 mg/mLThen, determine the required volume:Volume=1,000 mg33.3‾ mg/mL=30 mL\text{Volume} = \frac{1,000 \text{ mg}}{33.\overline{3} \text{ mg/mL}} = 30 \text{ mL}Volume=33.3 mg/mL1,000 mg​=30 mL
2. Convert Milliliters to Tablespoons:
   • There are approximately 15 mL in 1 tablespoon.
   To convert 30 mL to tablespoons:Tablespoons=30 mL15 mL/tbsp=2 tbsp\text{Tablespoons} = \frac{30 \text{ mL}}{15 \text{ mL/tbsp}} = 2 \text{ tbsp}Tablespoons=15 mL/tbsp30 mL​=2 tbsp

Therefore, the nurse should instruct the client to take 2 tablespoons of the oral suspension with each dose.

Explanation:

1. Dosage Conversion: The first step is to determine how much of the suspension is required to achieve the 1,000 mg dosage. Given that the suspension contains 500 mg in 15 mL, the concentration can be found by dividing the amount of medication by the volume. This allows us to understand how much volume is needed to reach the required dosage of 1,000 mg.
2. Volume Calculation: By using the concentration (mg/mL), we can calculate the exact volume of the liquid needed. This step involves dividing the total desired dose (1,000 mg) by the concentration of the suspension to get the required volume in milliliters.
3. Volume to Tablespoons: Finally, to make the dosage more practical for the client, convert the volume from milliliters to tablespoons. Knowing that 1 tablespoon is equivalent to 15 mL helps simplify the dosage measurement.

This step-by-step approach ensures accurate medication administration and helps in providing clear instructions to clients for proper dosage.