Question

solve the dosage by weight conversion problem.
the nurse is to administer the recommended dose of a drug, 4 milligrams per kilogram every 6 hours. the child weighs 42 pounds.
a) what is the weight in kilograms?
b) what is the daily dose?
c) what is the individual dose?
a) the childs weight in kilograms is
(round to the nearest hundredth as needed.)

Explanation:

Step1: Convert pounds to kilograms

We know that \(1\) pound \(=\frac{1}{2.20462}\) kilograms.
The child weighs \(42\) pounds. So, the weight in kilograms \(w = 42\times\frac{1}{2.20462}\)
\(w=\frac{42}{2.20462}\approx19.05\) kilograms

Step2: Calculate the daily dose

The dose is \(4\) milligrams per kilogram.
The daily dose \(D\) (since there are \(24\) hours in a day and the dose is given every \(6\) hours, so \(24\div6 = 4\) times a day)
First, the dose per kilogram - per - 6 - hour is \(4\) mg/kg.
The dose per kilogram per day is \(4\times4=16\) mg/kg.
Since the weight \(w = 19.05\) kg, the daily dose \(D=16\times19.05 = 304.8\) mg

Step3: Calculate the individual dose

The individual dose \(d\) (dose every \(6\) hours)
\(d = 4\times19.05=76.2\) mg

Answer:

a) The child's weight in kilograms is \(19.05\)
b) The daily dose is \(304.8\) mg
c) The individual dose is \(76.2\) mg