A client is receiving a prescription for penicillin 1.2 million units IM. The available vial is labeled, “600,000 units/2 mL”. How many mL should the nurse administer? (Enter numeric value only)
The correct answer and Explanation is :
To determine how many milliliters of the penicillin solution the nurse should administer, you can use the following formula:
[ \text{Volume to administer} = \frac{\text{Desired dose}}{\text{Concentration of the solution}} ]
Here’s a step-by-step explanation:
- Determine the Desired Dose:
The prescription is for 1.2 million units of penicillin. - Identify the Concentration of the Solution:
The vial is labeled as containing 600,000 units of penicillin in 2 mL of solution. - Calculate the Concentration Per mL:
To find out how many units are in each mL, divide the total units per vial by the volume of the vial: [
\text{Concentration per mL} = \frac{600,000 \text{ units}}{2 \text{ mL}} = 300,000 \text{ units/mL}
] - Calculate the Volume Needed for the Desired Dose:
Using the formula: [
\text{Volume to administer} = \frac{1,200,000 \text{ units}}{300,000 \text{ units/mL}} = 4 \text{ mL}
]
Therefore, the nurse should administer 4 mL of the penicillin solution to provide the prescribed dose of 1.2 million units.
Explanation:
In medication administration, it’s crucial to accurately calculate the volume required to ensure the patient receives the correct dose. This process involves understanding the concentration of the medication and then using basic arithmetic to determine how much of the solution to draw from the vial.
In this case, by determining the concentration of the solution (units per mL) and then dividing the desired dose by this concentration, you can find the volume needed to administer the correct amount of medication. This approach ensures that the patient receives the prescribed amount of the drug, minimizing the risk of underdosing or overdosing.