A nurse is caring for a client who has a prescription for digoxin 0.25 mg PO daily.
The amount available is digoxin 0.125 mg tablet.
How many tablets should the nurse administer per dose? (Round to the nearest whole number.
Use a leading zero if it applies. Do not use a trailing zero.).
A.
1.
B.
2.
C.
3.
D.
4.
The correct answer and Explanation is :
The correct answer is: B. 2 tablets
Explanation:
In this scenario, the nurse needs to determine how many tablets of digoxin (0.125 mg) to give the client in order to administer the prescribed dose of 0.25 mg. The key to solving this problem is using a simple dosage calculation formula:
[
\text{{Tablets to give}} = \frac{{\text{{Prescribed dose}}}}{{\text{{Available dose}}}}
]
- Identify the prescribed dose:
The prescribed dose of digoxin is 0.25 mg. - Identify the available dose:
The available dose is 0.125 mg per tablet. - Perform the calculation:
Now, divide the prescribed dose by the available dose:
[
\text{{Tablets to give}} = \frac{{0.25 \, \text{{mg}}}}{{0.125 \, \text{{mg/tablet}}}} = 2 \, \text{{tablets}}
]
Thus, the nurse should administer 2 tablets of 0.125 mg to equal the prescribed dose of 0.25 mg.
Why Rounding Is Not Necessary:
Since the calculation results in a whole number, there’s no need for rounding. In this case, 2 tablets perfectly match the required dose of 0.25 mg. However, if the result had been a decimal (for example, 1.5), the nurse would need to consider rounding based on the medication administration guidelines.
Safety Considerations:
- No trailing zeroes: When documenting the dose, it is important to write the dose as “0.25 mg” (instead of “0.250 mg”) to avoid potential confusion and prevent dosage errors.
- Leading zero: Always use a leading zero when writing doses less than 1 mg (e.g., 0.25 mg), as failing to do so (e.g., writing “.25 mg”) could lead to a 10-fold dosing error.
This calculation ensures the nurse safely administers the correct amount of digoxin for the client’s therapeutic needs.