A nurse is preparing to administer acetaminophen 10 mg/kg/dose to a child who weighs 28 lb. The amount available is acetaminophen 120 mg/5 mL. How many mL should the nurse administer? (Round the answer to the nearest tenth. Use a leading zero if it applies. Do not use a trailing zero.)
The correct answer and Explanation is :
Step 1: Convert the child’s weight to kilograms
The child’s weight is 28 lb, and we need to convert it to kilograms (kg).
- The conversion factor is 1 kg = 2.2 lb.
[
\frac{28 \, \text{lb}}{2.2} = 12.7 \, \text{kg}
]
Step 2: Calculate the required dosage
The prescribed dosage is 10 mg/kg.
To find the total dose in mg:
[
10 \, \text{mg/kg} \times 12.7 \, \text{kg} = 127 \, \text{mg}
]
Step 3: Use the concentration of acetaminophen
The available solution is acetaminophen 120 mg/5 mL. To find out how many mL contains 127 mg, set up a proportion:
[
\frac{120 \, \text{mg}}{5 \, \text{mL}} = \frac{127 \, \text{mg}}{x \, \text{mL}}
]
Cross-multiply and solve for ( x ):
[
120x = 127 \times 5
]
[
120x = 635
]
[
x = \frac{635}{120} = 5.29 \, \text{mL}
]
Step 4: Round to the nearest tenth
The answer is 5.3 mL.
Explanation:
In pediatric medication administration, accurate weight-based dosing is crucial to avoid under- or overdosing. In this case, the child weighs 12.7 kg, and the prescribed dose of acetaminophen is 10 mg/kg, leading to a required dose of 127 mg. The nurse has a concentration of 120 mg/5 mL available. Using a proportion, we find that the nurse should administer 5.3 mL to deliver the correct 127 mg dose. Rounding is important in clinical settings to ensure the dosage remains as accurate as possible without leading to dosing errors.