HELP PLS IM DESPERATE- medication calculations

EricJRN, MSN, RN · Oct 18, 2007

I think what's messing you up is that for #1, no insulin is required at all. For #2, if you plug 12 units into your formula in place of the 6.2 mmol, you should be on the right track.

(Remember that mmol is the unit that you'll see for your patient's blood sugar, but you won't give mmol of insulin, so put that aside.)

airyfairy · Oct 18, 2007

using the advice u have given me for question ii)

the answer i got this time is

12units x 1ml

100units/ml

= 0.12ml ? i think this is still wrong is it not??

do i need to take into the equation the changing bsl??

as i said in need of serious help here!!

i need to get 100% in this test im stressing to the max!!!

the question is mr. simons, an insulin dependant diabetic requires sliding scale insulin post-operatively. calculate the amount to be drawn up for each b.s.l range. stock strengh is 100 units per ml

i) bsl below 6.2mmol/l = 0 insulin

ii) bsl 6.3 - 10mmol/l give 12 units=__________ml

iii) bsl 12.1 - 15mmol/l give 18 units= ________ml

iv) bsl 18.1mmol/l and over give 25 units= ____ml

nyapa, RN · Oct 18, 2007

Think about this for a minute.

An easy formula to use is:

what you want x volume

what you've got

So for no. 1:

0 units x 1ml = 0mL

100units

no. 2:

12 units x 1mL = 12/100 = 0.12mL

100units

You try and work out the rest...

The mmols are a range that help guide you as to the amount of insulin you are to give. Say your patient's BSL was 7.2mmol. That comes between the BSL range of 6.3 and 10 mmol. The guideline is that if it is between that range that you would give 12 units. (ii). And you have calculated that 12 units = 0.12 mL. So you give 0.12mL

By calculating i, ii, iii, iv, and v you will get a volume for each of these ranges. So that is why it is important to calculate these first, so that when it comes to administration based on someones BSL you will know how much to give.

airyfairy · Oct 18, 2007

:idea:THANKYOU THANKYOU THANKYOU:idea:

I was so blind, I didnt have any idea what the mmols meant so that was leading me astray.

THe answers i got were

3. 18units/100 units = 0.18mL

4. 25units/100 units = 0.25mL

do they sound correct to u?

nyapa, RN · Oct 18, 2007

Sounds good to me! :idea:It's hard when you are really stressed out, and you can't see the wood for the trees so to speak, yeah? :idea:

airyfairy · Oct 18, 2007

Thanks so much... I think you just saved me from failling that bit of my test. As i have to get 100% :lol2: :lol2: :lol2: :lol2: :lol2:

You have no idea how happy i am lol

Daytonite, BSN, RN · Oct 18, 2007

these are very simply solved by using the formula dose desired divided by dose on hand equals the amount to give. the information about the patient's bsl given in mmol/l is information that is not essential to performing the calculations.

the question is mr. simons, an insulin dependant diabetic requires sliding scale insulin post-operatively. calculate the amount to be drawn up for each b.s.l range. stock strength is 100 units per ml
i) bsl below 6.2mmol/l = 0 insulin
ii) bsl 6.3 - 10mmol/l give 12 units=__________ml
iii) bsl 12.1 - 15mmol/l give 18 units= ________ml
iv) bsl 18.1mmol/l and over give 25 units= ____ml

for bsl 6.3 - 10mmol/l give 12 units=__________ml:

dose desired: 12 units

dose on hand: 100 units/ml

so, dose desired/dose on hand gives you this equation to solve:

12 units

(dose desired)

/100 units/1 ml

(dose on hand) =

12 units/1 x 1 ml/100 units =

0.12 ml

for bsl 12.1 - 15mmol/l give 18 units= ________ml:

dose desired: 18 units

dose on hand: 100 units/ml

so, dose desired/dose on hand gives you this equation to solve:

18 units

(dose desired)

/100 units/1 ml

(dose on hand) =

18 units/1 x 1 ml/100 units =

0.18 ml

for bsl 18.1mmol/l and over give 25 units= ____ml:

dose desired: 25 units

dose on hand: 100 units/ml

so, dose desired/dose on hand gives you this equation to solve:

25 units

(dose desired)

/100 units/1 ml

(dose on hand) =

25 units/1

x 1 ml/100 units =

0.25 ml

if you have trouble working with fractions, particularly complex fractions, as in this case, you can review the rules of working with fractions on these websites:

http://www.mathleague.com/help/fractions/fractions.htm#simplifyingcomplexfractions - this web page has everything you want to know about fractions
http://www.visualfractions.com/ - visual fractions tutorials
http://www.aaamath.com/fra.html#topic26 - tutorials on working with fractions

these can also be worked by ratios and finding the unknown variable, a simple algebra problem:

for bsl 6.3 - 10mmol/l

give 12 units=__________ml

:

12 units/x ml = 100 units/1 ml

cross multiply to get

100x = 12, x = 12/100, x = 0.12

with the label of "ml".

SchoolRN,BSN · Oct 18, 2007

I am told that ALL dosage calculations can be solved by dimensional analysis. Get a good workbook & practice 15 minutes every day. Also see if your school has a nursing tutor that is willing to work with you on these.

We were taught to use this formula:

need = order x available

So for example, in your problem you needed the answer to be in mL per dose.

mL = 12 Units x 1mL

dose dose 100 units

The last part is the conversion factor that allows you to do the problem. If you need the list of conversions, pm me & I'll be happy to send them to you. They are something that just has to be memorized- no way around it. The first thing I do when I get my tests is flip my paper over & write the whole list on the back. That way if I get flustered & can't remember a conversion, they are all right there in front of me. And I always do the math first. Doing so allows me to not be hurrying at the last minute to work a problem. If I have to guess at something b/c I"m running out of time I'd rather it be a multiple choice question than a math problem.

Good luck!! I just passed my second year proficiency exam with a 100% (and I would not call myself a math whiz by any stretch of the imagination) so it can be done.

airyfairy · Oct 18, 2007

:lol2:I can not thank everyone who has posted me enough for ur help :lol2:

I was stressing out so much on that and in the end it turned out to be so simple lol

thanks so much