Central New Mexico Community CollegeNursing Program
CCT Practice Problems
1. A patient is to receive a daily dose of 240 mg of a
medication. The dose is to be divided evenly so that the drug is
given every 6 hours. How many mg of drug should be given at each
dose?__________________________
2. A child, weighing 35.2 lbs. is to receive 6 mg/kg/day of
Gentamycin in evenly divided doses every 8 hours. How many mgs
should she receive in each dose?________________________
3. In discharge teaching, you tell the parent that their child
is to receive a 480 mg of oral acetaminophen every 8 hours PRN. The
parent is given a dosage measuring cup to dispense the dose. The
oral medication is supplied with the label stating that the
solution contains 160 mg/5 mL. How many teaspoons per dose should
the parent be instructed to give their
child?________________________ & place a mark on the diagram
below indicating the mLs required.
4. An IV medication dosage of 400-800 mcg/min has been ordered
to regulate blood pressure. The solution infusing has a
concentration of 200 mg in 50 mL. Calculate the flow rate range in
mL/hr._________________________
5. (Refer to question 4) After several adjustments within the
dosage range, the blood pressure has been regulated at an IV flow
rate of 9 mL/hr. The solution infusing has a concentration of 200
mg/50 mL. How many mcg is the patient now receiving per
minute?________________________________
6.The provider orders: Infuse Nafcillin 0.5 gram diluted in 50
mL normal saline to run over 45 minutes using an infusion pump.
Calculate the mL per hour. ______________
7. An order is entered for Tazicef 0.25 g IV every 12 hours. The
medication is supplied in a 1 g vial with instructions to add 10 mL
of bacteriostatic water to provide 95 mg/mL. How many mL would you
administer?____________________________
(8 9) Nitrofurantoin oral suspension is ordered 25 mg PO every 6
hours for a child weighing 37.4 lb. The recommended dosage is 2.2
mg to 3.2 mg/lb/day. The available medication has a label that
reads 5 mg/mL in 60 mL of suspension.8. What is the recommended
daily dosage range for this
child?_________________________________9. How many mL will be given
for each dose?__________________________________
(10-11) A 1 g vial of streptomycin sulfate is available in
powdered form with the following directions: Dilute with 1.8 mL
bacteriostatic water will yield 400 mg/mL.10. How many mL will you
need to administer a 350 mg dosage?___________________________11.
Mark the appropriate amount of mLs on the syringe diagram
(below):
12. An order is written for Depakote 500 mg PO at bedtime
(2100). Depakote is supplied in a syrup labeled 200 mg in each 5
mL. How many mL will be administered every 24
hours?________________________
13. An order for Ativan 1 mg PO every 4 hours is written for
agitation. Ativan is supplied as 500 mcg tablets. How many tablets
will be administered for each dose?_______________________
14. Nexium (esomeptrazole magnesium) 20 mg in 50 mL D5W is to
infuse over 20 minutes. At what rate will you set the IV pump in
mL/hour?____________________________________________
15. Order: hyoscyamine sulfate oral solution 0.0225 mg PO 4
times per day for an infant. The recommended dose for this
anticholinergic drug is 0.0625 to 0.125 mg every 4 hours PRN. The
medication label reads 0.125 mg/mL. If the dose is safe, how many
milliliters will you administer per dose?____________16. The
prescriber ordered an insulin drip of Humulin R Regular Insulin,
120 Units IV in 150 mL of Lactated Ringers solution. It is to
infuse at 10 mL/hour. How many Units/hour of insulin will the
patient receive?
_______________________________________________________________
17. A provider orders isoproterenol to be infused at 3 mcg per
minute. The pharmacy supplies a solution containing 1 mg per 250
mls normal saline. To administer the correct dose the nurse should
set the infusion pump at how many mls per hour?
18. A patient has an order for isosorbide dinitrate SR, 80 mg
PO. every 8 hours. Using the label below, how many SR capsules
would the nurse administer in 24 hours?
_____________________________
19. The physician has written an order for triazolam 125 mcg PO
at 2100. Using the label below, how many [scored] tablets would you
administer? ___________________________________
20. Refer to the information insert below for vancomycin and
locate the amount of diluent that must be added to reconstitute a 1
g vial when you are preparing to give the medication:
________________________Vanocin HCl
Sterile Vancomycin
PREPARATION AND STABILITYAt the time of use, reconstitute by
adding either 10 mL of Sterile Water for Injection to the 500 mg
vial or 20 mL of Sterile Water for Injection to the 1 g vial of
dry, sterile vancomycin powder. Vials reconstituted in this matter
will give a solution of 50 mg/mL.FURTHER DILUTION IS REQUIRED.After
reconstitution, the vials may be stored in a refrigerator for 14
days without significant loss of potency. Reconstituted solutions
containing 500 mg of vancomycin must be diluted with at least 100
mL of dilutent. Reconstituted solutions containing 1 g of
vancomycin must be diluted with at least 200 mL of dilutent. The
desired dose, diluted in this manner, should be administered by
intermittent intravenous infusion over a period of at least 60
minutes.
21. The physician has prescribed ampicillin 50 mg per kg per day
PO administered in divided doses every 6 hours for a child who
weighs 44 lb. The available supply is an oral suspension ampicillin
labeled 125 mg/5 mL. How many mL of medication should the child
receive per dose?____________________________________
(22-23) At the end of your 8-hour shift, you are calculating
intake and output for your patient. When you received report from
the previous shift, it was stated that this patient had 375 mL
remaining in her IV for you to count. During your shift, the
patient ate 1 egg and a slice of toast for breakfast and had a
hamburger, French fries and 4 oz. of tea for lunch. She also drank
2 cartons of milk at 8 oz each and had 150 mL of Dr. Pepper. The
patient then became nauseated (no wonderlook what she ate!!) She
vomited 150 mL. She also started having stomach cramps and passed 2
stools. After vomiting, she has only eaten and retained one 90 mL
Popsicle. She voided clear yellow urine 3 times during your shift:
250 mL, 365 mL, 200 mL respectfully. You hung a new 1000 mL bag of
IV fluid, which now has 650 mL left in it. The patient also
received Keflex 250 mg in 50 mL of normal saline (IV) one time
during your shift. 22. What is the total intake for this
patient?_____________________________23. What is the total output
for this patient?____________________________24. The physician has
ordered cefpodoxime proxetil (Vantin) 125 mg PO every 12 hours for
a child who weighs 55 pounds. Refer to the label of the drug on
hand (below). Calculate the amount of mLs the nurse should
administer per dose. _______________________________________
25. A patient is to receive hydroxyzine hydrochloride (Vistaril)
25 mg IM PRN. Refer to the label of the drug on hand (below).
Calculate the dosage in mLs ________________________, and indicate
the amount on the syringe diagram below:
26. The physician has prescribed theophylline 3 mg per kg of
body weight to be administeredevery 6 hours orally, for a 55-lb
child. The drug on hand is labeled 150 mg/15 mL. How many
milliliters should the nurse administer per
dose?_______________________
27. A physician order reads: Atropine 0.3 mg subcutaneously
every 4 hours. The supply on hand is Atropine 0.6 mg/mL. How many
mL will the nurse administer?__________
28. The physician writes an order for Na+ Heparin 7000 Units
twice daily for your patient. You look at the bottle of Heparin you
have on hand, and see that it contains Na+ Heparin 5000 Units/0.5
mL. How many mLs will you administer per dose?
___________________________ Mark the correct amount on the
syringe:
29. A volume of 2500 mL to infuse in 24 hr. The tubing set is
calibrated at 20 drop/mL. Calculate the drop/minute rate:
_______________________________
30. A medication volume of 20 mL to be administered in 20 min
using a 60 drop/mL tubing set. Calculate the drop/minute
rate:_______________________
31. You discover that an IV is running ahead of schedule and
must slow it down. 725 mL is remaining and the IV has an additional
6 hours to run. The tubing set in use is a 10 drops/mL. What is the
new drop/minute rate?______________________________________
32. 1000 mL were to run over 6 hr. After 3 hr only 425 mL have
infused. The set being used is 15 drops/mL. Calculate a new
drop/minute flow rate to complete this IV fluid administration on
time. ________________________
33. An IV with 800 mL remaining is running at 25 drops/min on a
15 drop/mL set. How many hours will it take to infuse?
____________________________________________
34. If the infusion rate found in question 33 was started at
14:10 on August 21st, when would it be complete (answer in hours
& minutes)?___________________________________________
35. You are caring for a patient who underwent a total hip
arthroplasty yesterday morning. He has an order for pipercillin 600
mg IM 3 times per day. The pharmacy provides you a vial of
pipercillin powder labeled 4 g. The directions state to add 7.8 mL
of sterile water to yield 1 g per 2.5 mL. How many mLs of the
reconstituted medication will you administer to this patient for
each dose?_________________________________________________
36. Order: heparin 7000 units twice per day. The pharmacy
provides a vial with heparin 10,000 units per mLCalculate mLs per
dose _____________________________
37. Order: Infuse 1000 mL NS at 125 mL/hr. Tubing calibration is
10 drops/mL.The patient will receive __________________________
drops per minute.
38. The physician orders: 1000 mL of 0.45% NS with 20,000 Units
of heparin IV. Drop factor is 15 drops/mL and the flow rate is 15
drops/min. Calculate the Units per hour___________________
39. Order: Cefizox (ceftizoxime sodium) 0.6 g IM every 12 hours.
Available: 1 g vial of Cefizox. Directions: Reconstitute the 1 g
vial with 3 mL of sterile water for injection, to yield 270 mg/mL.
How many mL should you give to equal the prescribed
dose?_____________________
40. The physician writes an order for Rocephin 350 mg IM STAT.
You have available a vial of Rocephin powder labeled 250 mg. The
directions on the drug label tell you to add 0.9 mL of sterile
water in order to yield 125 mg per 0.5 mL. How many mLs of the
reconstituted drug will you administer?
________________________________________
41. Use the following label for an order of Compazine 10 mg IM
every 8 hours PRN. Mark the mLs/dose to be given every 8 hours on
the syringe diagram (below).
42. The physician orders a digitalizing dose IV digoxin 0.125 mg
every 12 hr for a 9 month old child weighing 5909 grams. It is
recommended that the digitalizing dose for children from 1 24
months is 15 25 mcg/kg/day. What is the recommended maximum (safe)
daily digitalizing dose, in mcg, based on the drug literature for
this child? _________________________
43. A patient has a continuous heparin infusion running at 1200
units per hour. The infusion bag contains 25,000 units of heparin
in 250 mL. What rate (mL per hour) will the nurse set the infusion
pump? ____________
44. Order: Pathocil 135 mg PO every 6 hours for a child who
weighs 55 lb. The recommended dosage of Pathocil for children
weighing less than 40 kg is 12.5 25 mg/kg/day PO in equally divided
doses every 6 hours for moderate to severe infections. The
recommended minimum daily dosage (in mg) for this child is (a.)
_________________ with a recommended maximum daily dosage (in mg)
of (b.) _____________________.
45. Identify the amount (Units) contained in the following
syringe diagram:___________________
46. How many units are demonstrated in the syringe diagram
below?__________________
47. A provider orders cyanocobalamin 200 mcg intramuscularly
once per month. The pharmacy provides the cyanocobalamin in vials
containing 1000 mcg per mL. Calculate the amount of solution the
nurse will prepare to administer with a single dose.
_________________
(48 49) Consider the following intake and output information for
Ryan, age 14. Determine total input and output using the supplied
data, and answer questions at the end of the problem.Shift
hours:0700 to 1900
IV infusing:44 mL/hour (is on time)
You are a nurse on a pediatric unit of a local hospital and you
work 12-hour shifts. At 0720, you note that the patient has already
consumed 8 oz. of water. The JP drain appears empty. Breakfast
trays arrive and Ryan states he is really hungry and is anxious to
begin eating.
At 0800, you answer the patients call light and Ryan points to
his urinal and you empty it for a total of 528 mL of clear, yellow
urine. The patient care technician has already picked up his
breakfast tray and has documented that he consumed an 8 oz.
container of apple juice, 1.5 cups of clear broth, 1 cup of orange
Jello and a 12 oz. can of Sprite. While assessing Ryan and he
suddenly states he has to hurl!! You hand him an emesis basin in
which proceeds to vomit 923 mLs of liquid vomit. At 10:00 you check
on Ryan and notice that the JP drain needs to be emptied, and you
drain out 30 mLs of sero-sanguinous fluid. In addition, you empty
the patients urinal of 152 mL urine.
For lunch at 1230, Ryan consumes 1 cup of orange Jello and one
12 ounce can of Sprite. He tells you that he needs more water in
his water pitcher, and you record 250 mLs of water intake.
You continue checking on Ryan throughout the afternoon and you
note that between lunch and 1800, that the patient has had 310 mLs
of urine output. Between 1800 and shifts end, Ryan drinks another
12-oz. of Sprite. At the end of your shift, you empty the JP drain
one more time of 20 mLs of sero-sanguinous fluid before completing
the total shifts intake and output.
48. Intake ______________________
49. Output______________________
50. Auranolin 3 mg po every 8 hours. Supply: auranolin 6 mg
[scored] tablets. How many tablets will the patient need in one
day?_______________________________
51. How many mLs are demonstrated in the syringe diagram below?
________________________
52. Prepare 1550 mg of Ticar (ticarcillin) from a vial that has
the following directions:Add 13 mL of sterile water to the vial,
200 mg = 1 mL. How many mLs will the nurse prepare to administer?
_________________________________
53. The maintenance dose of Gantrisin suspension is 150
mg/kg/day. Calculate the initial [maintenance]dose, in mgs, of
Gantrisin for a 44 lb. Child, if the initial dose is of the 24-hour
maintenance dose._________________________
54. An IVPB of Gentamycin 60 mg in 150 mL of D5W is to infuse
over 1 hour. After 15 minutes into the infusion, the nurse stops
the IVPB because the patient begins to experience pain at the IV
insertion site. How many mg of Gentamycin did this patient receive
in 15 minutes?___________________
55. The physician orders potassium chloride to infuse at 2
mEq/hr. The pharmacy sends you one liter of 5% dextrose/1/2 normal
saline with 40 mEq potassium chloride. The IV pump should be
programmed to deliver how many mL/hr?__________________________
56. The physician orders acetaminophen 200 mg every 4 hr. PO PRN
for temperature greater than 38oC. You are caring for a child
weighing 27 pounds with a temperature elevation of 38.5oC. The safe
dosage range is 10-15 mg/kg/dose. What is the maximum [safe]
individual dose for this child?____________________________
57. An order reads: Decadron 1.5 mg PO 4 times/day. Childs
weight is 66 lbs. Recommended dose is 0.2 mg/kg/day in 4 divided
doses.(a.) Recommended mg per day for this
child?_____________________(b.) Recommended divided dose (in mg)
for this child?_____________________
Answer sheet
1.______________________ 2.______________________
3.______________________ 4.______________________
5.______________________ 6.______________________
7.______________________ 8.______________________
9.______________________ 10.______________________
11.______________________ 12.______________________
13.______________________ 14.______________________
15.______________________ 16.______________________
17.______________________ 18.______________________
19.______________________ 20.______________________
21.______________________ 22.______________________
23.______________________ 24.______________________
25.______________________ 26.______________________
27.______________________ 28.______________________
29.______________________ 30.______________________
31.______________________ 32.______________________
33.______________________ 34.______________________
35.______________________ 36.______________________
37.______________________ 38.______________________
39.______________________ 40.______________________
41.______________________ 42.______________________
43.______________________ 44.______________________
45.______________________ 46.______________________
47.______________________ 48.______________________
49.______________________ 50.______________________
51.______________________ 52.______________________
53.______________________ 54.______________________
55.______________________ 56.______________________
57.______________________
