A nurse is preparing to administer hydromorphone 2.5 mg. The available amount is 5 mg/5 mL elixir.
How many mL should the nurse administer?
The Correct answer and Explanation is:
To determine the amount of hydromorphone to administer, you can use the following formula:
[
\text{Desired Dose} = \text{Available Dose} \times \text{Volume of Available Dose}
]
Given:
- Desired Dose = 2.5 mg
- Available Dose = 5 mg
- Volume of Available Dose = 5 mL
First, set up the equation to find out how many mL of the elixir contains the desired 2.5 mg:
[
\text{mL to administer} = \frac{\text{Desired Dose}}{\text{Available Dose}} \times \text{Volume of Available Dose}
]
Substituting the values:
[
\text{mL to administer} = \frac{2.5 \text{ mg}}{5 \text{ mg}} \times 5 \text{ mL}
]
This simplifies to:
[
\text{mL to administer} = 0.5 \times 5 \text{ mL} = 2.5 \text{ mL}
]
Thus, the nurse should administer 2.5 mL of the hydromorphone elixir.
Explanation
In medication administration, accurate dosing is crucial to ensure patient safety and therapeutic effectiveness. In this case, hydromorphone is an opioid analgesic used for pain management, and careful calculation is necessary to prevent overdose or underdose.
The formula applied here leverages basic pharmacological principles, where the ratio of the desired dose to the available dose determines the volume to be administered. By determining that 5 mg of hydromorphone is contained in 5 mL of the elixir, we can see that 1 mL of the elixir contains 1 mg of hydromorphone. Therefore, to achieve the desired dose of 2.5 mg, one simply needs to administer 2.5 mL.
It’s also important for the nurse to double-check calculations, as errors can have serious implications, especially with potent medications like hydromorphone. Additionally, the nurse should verify the patient’s identity, confirm the medication order, and monitor the patient for any potential side effects or adverse reactions following administration. Documentation of the medication given, including the amount, time, and any relevant patient responses, is also essential for continuity of care.