Question

1. a nurse is preparing to administer methimazole 300 mcg/k po divided in equal doses every 6 hrs to a school age child w weighs 55 lb. available is methimazole 5 mg tablets. how mar tablets should the nurse administer per dose? (round answer nearest tenth)

Explanation:

Step1: Convert the child's weight from pounds to kilograms

We know that \(1\ lb = 0.454\ kg\). The child weighs \(55\ lb\). So the weight in kilograms \(W=55\times0.454 = 24.97\ kg\approx25\ kg\)

Step2: Calculate the total daily dose of methimazole

The dose is \(300\ mcg/kg\). For a \(25 - kg\) child, the total daily dose \(D = 300\times25=7500\ mcg\)

Step3: Convert the total daily dose from micrograms to milligrams

Since \(1\ mg=1000\ mcg\), the total daily dose in milligrams is \(\frac{7500}{1000}=7.5\ mg\)

Step4: Calculate the dose per administration

The dose is divided every \(6\) hours. There are \(24\div6 = 4\) doses in a day. So the dose per administration \(d=\frac{7.5}{4}=1.875\ mg\)

Step5: Calculate the number of tablets per dose

Each tablet is \(5\ mg\). Let the number of tablets per dose be \(n\). Using the formula \(n=\frac{d}{5}\), we substitute \(d = 1.875\)

\(n=\frac{1.875}{5}=0.375\approx0.4\)

Answer:

\(0.4\)