Hello everyone, this is such an easy math problem, I'm so peeved at myself for having such a hard time with it. I'm hoping your replies can help me understand what I'm NOT understanding or OVER-READING into.
Order: Serzone (nefazodone hydrochloride), PO, initially: 200 mg in 2 divided doses; 100 mg in 2 divided doses; may increase to 100 mg, bid.
a. How many tablets should the client initially receive?
b. How many tablets should the client receive per dose when ordered 100 mg in 2 divided doses?
c. How many tablets should the client receive per dose when increased to 100 mg, bid?
I use the Desire/Have x Unit formula and come up with 4 tabs
D 200mg/ H 50 mg = 4 tabs
Now, since it says, "initially 200 mg in 2 divided doses", I did:
4 tablets divided by 2 doses = 2 tabs, which would be 100 mg (which is half of 200 mg).
So my answer to A would be 2 tabs.
For B, my answer would be 1 tab, because 100 mg/50 mg = 2 tabs / 2 doses = 1 tab
For C, my answer is 2 tabs per dose
However, the answer key states that:
A = 4 tablets
B = 1 tablet per dose
C = 2 tablets per dose
I'm confused because if you divide the doses for B, which has the same instructions as A, shouldn't A = 2 tabs? Why do I divide B, and not A? I copied and pasted the problem verbatim, punctuation and all. I even tried substituting "BID" for "divided doses" but it still doesn't make sense to me. Is the answer to A a typo? Can someone reword the problem to me in a different way? I am SO frustrated over this! Thanks a lot everyone!
Remember that you took algebra for a reason. All you're really doing is solving for x. You can do it any way you want to, so long as you get the right answer. "But wait," I hear you wail, "How do I know if it's the right answer?" Answer: make an intelligent estimate before you start doing the arithmetic.
You take a deep breath and look at the information they give you, and if it's a medication problem, take a peek at your pharmacology book to see usual dose ranges. If you come up with an answer like, oh, 200 tablets po or 25cc IM, it's a safe bet something's wrong. :) I had a student once that did a calculation for a heparin drip that came up something like 840cc/hour, if memory serves. Even if you don't know heparin from a hole in the wall, if it comes up from the pharmacy in a 500cc bag and the one that's hanging went up at 10:00 pm last night and the I&O shows a total of about 200cc out of it, you can kinda figure that giving more than one of those EVERY HOUR would be a little odd.
Sometimes doing something silly like changing the names of the medication to something like "M&Ms" or "Gatorade" takes the fear and strangeness out of it and allows you to use the same skills you use when you use a cookbook. If you have to use ten tablespoons of butter (yum) and it comes in 4-tablespoon ministicks, how many sticks of butter do you take out of the refrigerator? If I said, "Six," you'd say, Hmm, that doesn't seem right. See?
nurseprnRN, BSN, RN
1 Article; 5,116 Posts
Remember that you took algebra for a reason. All you're really doing is solving for x. You can do it any way you want to, so long as you get the right answer. "But wait," I hear you wail, "How do I know if it's the right answer?" Answer: make an intelligent estimate before you start doing the arithmetic.
You take a deep breath and look at the information they give you, and if it's a medication problem, take a peek at your pharmacology book to see usual dose ranges. If you come up with an answer like, oh, 200 tablets po or 25cc IM, it's a safe bet something's wrong. :) I had a student once that did a calculation for a heparin drip that came up something like 840cc/hour, if memory serves. Even if you don't know heparin from a hole in the wall, if it comes up from the pharmacy in a 500cc bag and the one that's hanging went up at 10:00 pm last night and the I&O shows a total of about 200cc out of it, you can kinda figure that giving more than one of those EVERY HOUR would be a little odd.
Sometimes doing something silly like changing the names of the medication to something like "M&Ms" or "Gatorade" takes the fear and strangeness out of it and allows you to use the same skills you use when you use a cookbook. If you have to use ten tablespoons of butter (yum) and it comes in 4-tablespoon ministicks, how many sticks of butter do you take out of the refrigerator? If I said, "Six," you'd say, Hmm, that doesn't seem right. See?