Math Problems, Please someone help me clarify?

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Ok the order is loading dose of 1.5g of of Vancomycin and every dose after that is 1 g of Vancomycin you have on hand 500 mg of Vancomycin. How many tablets is the loading dose? How many tablets for one dose?

I get confused with this because i am not sure on where I should start. I feel the answer should be 3 tablets for the loading dose, and 2 tablets for every dose after. I got this wrong on my exam I know for a fact. I over think my questions

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If the question was for an oral dose of vancomycin, then you answers are correct.

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Specializes in Complex pedi to LTC/SA & now a manager.

1.5g = 1500mg = 3 x 500mg tabs for loading dose

1g = 1000mg = 2x500mg tabs for subsequent doses.

If that is all that was asked why do you think you got it wrong?

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I didn't have 3 for loading and 2 for initial dose. I over think things...before I had 1.5 tablets and 1 tablet thinking something completely different!

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Specializes in Critical Care, ED, Cath lab, CTPAC,Trauma.

Hm...that is not what your post says.....

I feel the answer should be 3 tablets for the loading dose, and 2 tablets for every dose after. I got this wrong on my exam I know for a fact. I over think my questions
indicating that you knew the right answe...no mention was made that your actual answer was different
before I had 1.5 tablets and 1 tablet
using beachy's example...do you see what you did wrong?
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I wonder who thought up this question, since Vanco doesn't come in tablets....

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Specializes in Complex pedi to LTC/SA & now a manager.

True, vanco is not available in tablets or in even 500mg for oral dosing.

available oral forms: (Vancocin HCl Pulvules) oral capsules 125mg and 250mg

In the oral form there isn't usually a loading dose but 125mg QID x 10 days for c. diff or 500mg-2g/day divided in 3-4 doses for 7-10 days for staph enterocollitis.

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and it is cheaper to use the IV formulation, can be put in juice, etc.

True, vanco is not available in tablets or in even 500mg for oral dosing.

available oral forms: (Vancocin HCl Pulvules) oral capsules 125mg and 250mg

In the oral form there isn't usually a loading dose but 125mg QID x 10 days for c. diff or 500mg-2g/day divided in 3-4 doses for 7-10 days for staph enterocollitis.

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Specializes in Critical Care, ED, Cath lab, CTPAC,Trauma.

BUt it isn't about the vanco being available in real life.....it's a math question about having 500 mg tablets on hand......and needing a loading dose of 1.5gms and a regular dose of 1gm how many pills are given for each dose.

The name of the exact drug, here it is vanco, is not pertinent to the question.

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I didn't have 3 for loading and 2 for initial dose. I over think things...before I had 1.5 tablets and 1 tablet thinking something completely different!
I am assuming that you did this one in your head, which is what I would have done. However, it is easy to get things mixed up when you don't write things out.

One of the things I do when I come up to a muti-part question is write out the infomation.

1.5g

1 g

500 mg /tab

The first thing to notice is you have more then one unit and internally you should know that 1g = 1000 mg. You write this out or just keep it in mind, but at one point or another will need to do the conversion.

1g= 1000 mg or 1g= 2 tabs

Therefore 1g is 2 tabs and 1.5g is 3 tabs

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For speed, durring the test write out the information and do the conversion inline

Step one writeout the info

1.5g

1g

500mg

step two convert g to mg

1.5g=1500mg

1g=1000mg

500mg/tab

Step three, convert to tablets, when the answer is simply a 1:2 or 1:3 you may internalize the conversion to tabs and just write the answer.

1.5g=1500mg=3tabs

1g=1000mg=2tabs

500mg/tab

In more complex problems where the tablets are someting odd like 175mg, you set up each part as its own problem as either DA or Ratio.

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Have you learned dimensional analysis for the dosage problems? That's what I'm learning and it makes it so much easier!

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I understand that, BUT, it is subliminally teaching erroneous information. Everything should be accurate. Nursing education is so compacted now, that nothing like this should be allowed.

BUt it isn't about the vanco being available in real life.....it's a math question about having 500 mg tablets on hand......and needing a loading dose of 1.5gms and a regular dose of 1gm how many pills are given for each dose.

The name of the exact drug, here it is vanco, is not pertinent to the question.

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