Nursing Math----Please help

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The physician prescribed Tagamet 500 milligrams orally. The medicine label reads Tagamet liquid 300 milligrams in 5 ml. How many teaspoons will be given? Round it to the nearest teaspoon

I did the s/h= x/d method and came up with 5/300=x/500 2500/300 = 8.33ml Is this right? I then have to change this to teaspoons.

The answer given is 1 teaspoon. How do I get 1 teaspoon from 8.33ml????

Thanks to anyone who answers

D

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Specializes in L&D/Maternity nursing.

Order= 500mg

Dose on hand= 300mg/5mL

I do ratio and proportion so sorry if it confuses you...

500mg/xmL=300mg/5mL

300x=500(5)

x=8.33ml--same answer as you

however, I thought 1 teaspoon was 5ml, so by the math, what you should administer is between one and two teaspoons (1.2 actually). I think they say that the answer is 1 teaspoon because to give 2 teaspoons you are giving more than the ordered dosage, so they are round down to the nearest teaspoon?

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The physician prescribed Tagamet 500 milligrams orally. The medicine label reads Tagamet liquid 300 milligrams in 5 ml. How many teaspoons will be given? Round it to the nearest teaspoon

I did the s/h= x/d method and came up with 5/300=x/500 2500/300 = 8.33ml Is this right? I then have to change this to teaspoons.

The answer given is 1 teaspoon. How do I get 1 teaspoon from 8.33ml????

Thanks to anyone who answers

D

300mg: 1tsp (5ml=1tsp) :: 500mg: x ml

300x =500

x = 1.66 tsp

round down to 1tsp, so you don't give more medicine that ordered

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Specializes in Home Health.

This is how I do it:

order/dose on hand x V = dose

500/300= (answer) x 5 = 8.33

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Specializes in Orthopedic, Corrections.

The answer would be the 1.66 t because 1t=5mL. You need to divide your answer by 5. The closest teaspoon with rounding rules is 2 t. I would administer 1.65 t (8.25 mL) because I know that I would have a graduated syringe on the floor.

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Specializes in SNU/SNF/MedSurg, SPCU Ortho/Neuro/Spine.

measure 8.25ml on the medicine cup!

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The physician prescribed Tagamet 500 milligrams orally. The medicine label reads Tagamet liquid 300 milligrams in 5 ml. How many teaspoons will be given? Round it to the nearest teaspoon

I did the s/h= x/d method and came up with 5/300=x/500 2500/300 = 8.33ml Is this right? I then have to change this to teaspoons.

The answer given is 1 teaspoon. How do I get 1 teaspoon from 8.33ml????

Thanks to anyone who answers

D

The answer is 1.66 tsp, but the OP says the answer is 1 tsp. If there is 300ml/tsp you can't round up to 2tsp or you are giving more than the Dr ordered...you have to round down. In the hospital you would give 1.65tsp, but the problem asks you to round the answer. I know that goes against the rounding rule, but you have to keep in mind the Dr order.

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Specializes in SNU/SNF/MedSurg, SPCU Ortho/Neuro/Spine.

why cant you just get a darn syringe, or measuring cup and round closer then 1 tsp?

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Specializes in L&D/Maternity nursing.
why cant you just get a darn syringe, or measuring cup and round closer then 1 tsp?

because its a stupid math question meant to trick us! We would never measure out a med in a teaspoon in clinical/on the unit.

these kinds of questions drive me bonkers sometimes!:clown:

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Specializes in SNU/SNF/MedSurg, SPCU Ortho/Neuro/Spine.
because its a stupid math question meant to trick us! We would never measure out a med in a teaspoon in clinical/on the unit.

these kinds of questions drive me bonkers sometimes!:clown:

LoL duh i did not even read that... too tired at work, just finished my ob studies for my test tomorrow...

yep on this case you have to round down, never up, and if they want the answer in tsp than that would be the way to go.!

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