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HESI Dosage Calculations Practice Exam Questions And Correct Detailed Answers (Verified Answers) Already Graded A+
- At the end of the shift, the nurse is recording the fluid balance for a client receiving a
continuous gastrostomy tube (GT) feeding. Based on the client's records, how many ml should the nurse record for the total fluid balance (intake - output) for the shift that started at 0700 and ended at 1900?
• Correct Answer: 695
• Explanation:
- The tube feeding is administered at 75 ml/hour for 11 hours (0700 - 1800) and
- 11 hours x 75 ml/hr = 825 ml.
- Three doses of 20 ml of medication are administered, with 10 ml of water
then turned off for one hour because the residual is greater than 200 ml.
used to flush the GT before and after each dose.
o Medication: 20 ml x 3 doses = 60 ml.
o Flush: 10 ml x 2 (before/after) x 3 doses = 60 ml.
o Total Intake: 825 ml + 60 ml + 60 ml = 945 ml.
o Output: 250 ml of residual is removed and not replaced.
o Total Balance: 945 ml (Intake) - 250 ml (Output) = 695 ml.
- A client's daily PO prescription for aripiprazole (Abilify) is increased from 15 mg to 30
mg. The medication is available in 15 mg tablets, and the client already received one tablet today. How many additional tablets should the nurse administer so the client receives the total newly prescribed dose for the day?
• Correct Answer: 1
• Explanation:
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- 30 mg (total dose) - 15 mg (dose already administered) = 15 mg that still
needs to be administered.
o Using the Desired/Have formula: 15 mg / 15 mg = 1 tablet.
- The nurse is preparing to administer Hepatitis B Vaccine, Recombinant (Energix-B) 5
mcg IM to a school-aged child. The vaccine is labeled, 10 mcg/ml. How many ml should the nurse administer?
• Correct Answer: 0.5
• Explanation:
- Use ratio and proportion: 5 mcg : X ml :: 10 mcg : 1 ml.
- 10X = 5.
- X = 0.5 ml.
- A male client receives a prescription for ondansetron hydrochloride (Zofran) 4 mg IV
to prevent postoperative nausea after an inguinal hernia repair. The medication is available in 2 mg/ml. How many ml should the nurse administer?
• Correct Answer: 2
• Explanation:
- Use ratio and proportion: 4 mg : X ml = 2 mg : 1 ml.
- 2X = 4.
- X = 2 ml.
- The nurse is preparing the change-of-shift report for a client who has a 265 ml
secondary infusion that was started 2 hours ago at a rate of 85 ml/hour via an infusion pump. The nurse should report that how many ml remain to be infused by the on- coming nurse?
• Correct Answer: 95
• Explanation:
o Calculate infused amount: 85 ml x 2 hours = 170 ml has infused.
o Calculate remaining amount: 265 ml (total) - 170 ml (infused) = 95 ml remain.
- A client who weighs 176 pounds is receiving an IV infusion with esmolol
hydrochloride (Brevibloc) at 48 ml/hour. The IV solution is labeled with the
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concentration of Brevibloc 10 mg/ml. How many mcg/kg/minute is the client receiving?
• Correct Answer: 100
• Explanation:
o Convert pounds to kg: 176 pounds / 2.2 = 80 kg.
o Convert concentration mg to mcg: 1 mg = 1000 mcg, so 10 mg = 10,000
mcg/ml.
o Formula: (Rate x Concentration) / (Time x Weight).
- (48 ml/hr x 10,000 mcg/ml) / (60 min x 80 kg).
- 480,000 / 4,800 = 100 mcg/kg/minute.
- A client is receiving an IV solution of sodium chloride 0.9% (Normal Saline) 250 ml
with amiodarone (Cordarone) 1 gram at 17 ml/hour. How many mg/minute of amiodarone is infusing?
• Correct Answer: 1.1
• Explanation:
o Convert grams to mg: 1 gram = 1,000 mg.
o Find concentration: 1,000 mg / 250 ml = 4 mg/ml.
o Calculate rate per minute: (17 ml/hour x 4 mg/ml) / 60 minutes.
- 68 / 60 = 1.13 = 1.1 mg/minute.
- A client who weighs 70 kg is receiving a dopamine solution of 800 mg/500 ml normal
saline at 5 ml/hour. How many mcg/kg/minute is the client receiving?
• Correct Answer: 1.9
• Explanation:
o Calculate mg/hour: (5 ml/hour / 500 ml) x 800 mg = 8 mg/hour.
o Convert to mcg/kg/min: (8 mg x 1000) / 70 kg / 60 minutes.
- 8000 / 4200 = 1.904 = 1.9 mcg/kg/minute.
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- A client with hypertension who weighs 72.4 kg is receiving an infusion of
nitroprusside (Nipride) 50 mg in D5W 250 ml at 75 ml/hour. How many mcg/kg/minute is the client receiving?
• Correct Answer: 3.5
• Explanation:
o Calculate mg/hour: (75 ml / 250 ml) x 50 mg = 15 mg/hour.
o Convert to mcg/min: 15 mg = 15,000 mcg. 15,000 / 60 min = 250 mcg/minute.
o Divide by weight: 250 mcg / 72.4 kg = 3.45 = 3.5 mcg/kg/minute.
- A client with cardiogenic shock weighs 220 lb and is receiving dopamine at the rate
of 3 mcg/kg/minute. The solution strength available is dopamine 400 mg in 250 ml of D5W. The nurse should set the infusion pump to deliver how many ml/hour?
• Correct Answer: 11.3
• Explanation:
o Convert weight: 220 lb / 2.2 = 100 kg.
o Calculate dosage/min: 3 mcg/kg/min x 100 kg = 300 mcg/min.
o Convert to mcg/hr: 300 mcg/min x 60 min = 18,000 mcg/hour.
o Convert to mg/hr: 18,000 mcg = 18.0 mg/hour.
o Calculate rate: 18 mg / X ml = 400 mg / 250 ml.
- 400X = 4500. X = 11.25 = 11.3 ml/hour.
- The nurse is administering a 250 milliliter (ml) intravenous solution to be infused
over 2 hours. How many ml/hour should the nurse program the infusion pump?
• Correct Answer: 125
• Explanation:
- 250 ml / 2 hours = 125 ml/hr.
- The nurse is preparing to administer 0.25 mg of bumetanide (Bumex) IV. The
medication is available in a vial labeled 1 mg/4 ml. How many ml of medication should the nurse administer?
