Really having difficulty with ped calculation

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Pediatric nurses can you please help me with a dosage calculation?

child weighs 40lbs

safe doses 20-40 mg per kg per day in 2 divided doses

order: 375 mg twice a day...

total for day: 375 x 2 = 750 Total for day

i set it up this way

18.18 kg x 20 = 363.30

18.18 x 40 = 727.2

(363.30 and 727.7 is the safe dose range right??)

363 divided by 2 = 181.5

727.2 divided by 2 = 363.30

i think this is not a safe dose, but my friend disagrees! please help

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Specializes in NICU, PICU, PCVICU and peds oncology.

In the strictest sense, you're correct. But there are gray areas... some antibiotics, for example, will have higher doses for certain infections than for others. Based on the information given though, the prescribed dose is too high.

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janfrn-thank you so much for responding..i was getting sick over this, as i have a test on monday..

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Specializes in Pediatrics, ER.

As JF said, you're correct. In the real world you'll find dosages like that often, but for a black and white nursing test, it is too high of a dose. A tip for your test, don't read beyond what's asked in the question. If the dose is very close to the prescribed paremeters but still outside, then the bottom line is it is still outside and therefore incorrect.

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Specializes in pediatrics, public health.

The peds hospital I used to work at had a rounding protocol, so sometimes you'd get a dose that was slightly too high when you did the straight calculation, but ok per rounding protocol. This dose is only 3% too "high". In the real world, I would give the dose without any problems. But I agree that for the purpose of a test, it is not "safe".

Good luck!

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Specializes in NICU, PICU, educator.

375mg divided by 18.18kg = 20.6 x 2 (times per day) = 41.2mg/dose

On paper test...out of range, in real world...get an order to verify.

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