A nurse is preparing to administer epoetin alfa 50 units/kg subcutaneously to a toddler who weighs 25 lb. Available is epoetin alfa 3.000 units/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:
Correct Answer: 0.2 mL
Explanation:
A nurse is preparing to administer epoetin alfa to a toddler and must determine the correct dosage based on the child’s weight and the available concentration of the medication.
Step 1: Identify Given Information
- Prescribed dose: 50 units per kg
- Child’s weight: 25 lb
- Available concentration: 3,000 units/mL
Step 2: Convert Weight to Kilograms
Since 1 kg = 2.2 lb, we convert the child’s weight from pounds to kilograms:
[
\text{Weight in kg} = \frac{25 \text{ lb}}{2.2} = 11.36 \text{ kg}
]
Step 3: Calculate the Required Dose
The prescribed dose is 50 units per kg, so the total required dose is:
[
50 \times 11.36 = 568 \text{ units}
]
Step 4: Determine the Volume to Administer
Using the available concentration of 3,000 units/mL, we calculate the required volume:
[
\frac{568 \text{ units}}{3,000 \text{ units/mL}} = 0.189 \text{ mL}
]
Rounding to the nearest tenth:
[
0.2 \text{ mL}
]
Final Answer: 0.2 mL
The nurse should administer 0.2 mL of epoetin alfa subcutaneously. This ensures accurate dosing and prevents medication errors. Proper rounding is crucial in pediatric dosing to ensure safety and effectiveness.
Here is the generated image of a nurse preparing a syringe with epoetin alfa medication for a toddler in a professional clinical setting. Let me know if you need any modifications!
