A nurse is preparing to administer enoxaparin 1 mg/kg subcutaneously every 12 hr.
The client’s weight is 121 lb.
Available is enoxaparin 60 mg/0.6 mL.
How many mL should the nurse administer per dose? (Round the answer to the nearest tenth.
Use a leading zero if it applies. Do not use a trailing zero.)
A.
0.5 mL.
B.
0.600 mL.
C.
0.6 mL.
D.
0.8 mL.
The correct answer and Explanation is :
To solve this problem, follow these steps:
- Convert the client’s weight from pounds (lb) to kilograms (kg):
The formula to convert pounds to kilograms is:
[
\text{Weight in kg} = \frac{\text{Weight in lb}}{2.2}
]
[
\text{Weight in kg} = \frac{121 \, \text{lb}}{2.2} = 55 \, \text{kg}
]
So, the client’s weight is 55 kg. - Determine the dose of enoxaparin based on the client’s weight:
The dose prescribed is 1 mg per kg every 12 hours, so:
[
\text{Dose} = 1 \, \text{mg/kg} \times 55 \, \text{kg} = 55 \, \text{mg}
]
Therefore, the nurse needs to administer 55 mg of enoxaparin per dose. - Calculate how many mL to administer:
The available enoxaparin comes in a concentration of 60 mg/0.6 mL. First, calculate how many mg are in 1 mL:
[
\text{Concentration} = \frac{60 \, \text{mg}}{0.6 \, \text{mL}} = 100 \, \text{mg/mL}
]
Next, determine how many mL are needed to administer 55 mg:
[
\text{Volume to administer} = \frac{\text{Dose}}{\text{Concentration}} = \frac{55 \, \text{mg}}{100 \, \text{mg/mL}} = 0.55 \, \text{mL}
] - Round to the nearest tenth:
Rounding 0.55 mL to the nearest tenth gives 0.6 mL.
Thus, the correct answer is C. 0.6 mL.
Explanation:
In this scenario, the nurse is calculating the amount of enoxaparin to administer based on the client’s weight. Since the medication is dosed according to the client’s weight (1 mg/kg), the nurse first converts the client’s weight to kilograms. The dose is then calculated by multiplying the weight in kilograms by the prescribed dosage (1 mg/kg). After determining the required dose in milligrams, the nurse must convert this to milliliters based on the available concentration of the medication. Finally, rounding to the nearest tenth ensures the proper volume is administered.