Dosage Calculations for Nurses
By June L. Olson, et al.
February 2010
Pearson Education
Distributed by Trans-Atlantic Publications
ISBN: 9780132068840 
293 pages, Illustrated
$37.50 Paper original
This comprehensive and easy-to-use guide for dosage calculations and drug administration is an excellent reference guide for nursing and healthcare professionals. Critical thinking case studies, practice tests, and exercises prepare students for real calculations so they can confidently calculate safe and accurate dosage levels
With a workbook style, comprehensive coverage and over 1,000 problems and answers, ‘Dosage Calculations for Nurses’ allows the student to work at their own pace in the areas where they feel need the most support.
Contents
Unit 1 Basic Calculation Skills and Introduction to Medical Administration
CHAPTER 1 Review of Arithmetic for Medical Dosage Calculations
Short Diagnostic Test (level of comfort with numbers)
Fundamental Skills for Calcualtions
Explaining Decimals and Fractions
Changing Decimal Numbers and Whole Numbers to Fractions
Changing Fractions to Decimal Numbers
Rounding Decimal Numbers
Rounding Numbers (Up or Down)
Multiplying and Dividing Decimal Numbers
Multiplying and Dividing Fractions
Complex Fractions
Percentages
Practice Sets
Reflection Exercise
CASE STUDY (1.1)
CHAPTER 2 Safe and Accurate Drug Administration
The Drug Administration Process
Who Administers Drugs?
Six Rights of Medication Administration
The Right Drug
The Right Dose
The Right Route
The Right Time
The Right Patient
The Right Documentation
Drug Prescriptions
Medication Orders and Administration Records
Prescription Forms
Prescription Variations
Components of a Prescription Medication Administration Records
Computerized Recordkeeping
Drug Labels
Drug Package Inserts
Practice Sets
CHAPTER 3 Changing Units of Measurement
Introduction toUnits of measurment and Conversion
The Mathematical Foundation Changing a Single Unit of Measurement to Another Single Unit of Measurement
Simple Problems With Single Units of Measurement
Complex Problems with Single Units of Measurement
Changing One Rate to Another Rate
Simple Problems With Rates
Complex Problems With Rates
Practice Sets
CHAPTER 4 The Metric Measurement Systems
The Metric System
Liquid Volume Measurements
Weight Measures
Length Measures
Shortcut for Converting Units in the Metric System
Measurements in the Imperial Measurements System
Unit 2 Oral and Parenteral Medications
CHAPTER 5 Calculating Oral Medication Doses
Simple Problems
Medication in Solid Form
Medication in Liquid Form
Medications Measured in Millimoles
Complex Problems
Calculating Dosage by Body Weight
Calculating Dosage by Body Surface Area
BSA Formulas
Nomograms
Case Study 5.1
Practice Reading Labels
Practice Sets
CHAPTER 6 Syringes
Parts of a Syringe
Needles
Types of Syringes
Measuring Insulin Doses
Measuring a Single Dose of Insulin in an Insulin Syringe
Measuring Two Types of Insulin in One Syringe
Measuring Premixed Insulin
Safety Syringes
Case Study 6.1 153
Reflection on Practice
Practice Sets 157
CHAPTER 7 Solutions and Drug Strengths or Concentrations
Determining the Strength of a Medication
Pure Drugs in Liquid Form
Pure Drugs in Dry Form
Determining the Amount of Pure Drug in a Given Amount of Solution
Determining the Amount of Solution That Contains a Given Amount of Pure Drug
Molar Solution and Molarity
Drugs Measured in Units
Case Study 7.1 183
Practice Sets
CHAPTER 8 Parenteral Medications
Parenteral Medications
Parenteral Medications Supplied as Liquids
Parenteral Medications Supplied in Powdered Form
Heparin
Case Study 8.1
Practice Sets
Unit 3 Infusions and Paediatric Dosages
CHAPTER 9 Calculating Flow Rates and Durations of Enteral and Intravenous Infusions
Introduction to Intravenous and Enteral Solutions
Enteral Feedings
Intravenous Infusions
Intravenous Solutions
Equipment for IV Infusions
Infusion Pumps
Calculating the Flow Rate of Infusions
Calculating the Duration of Flow for IV and Enteral Solutions
Case Study 9.1
Practice Sets
CHAPTER 10 Calculating Flow Rates for Intravenous Medications
Intravenous Administration of Medications
Secondary Intravenous Infusion Lines
Calculating Flow Rates Based on Body Weight
Titrating Medications
Calculating Flow Rates Based on Body Surface Area
Case Study 10.1
Practice Sets
CHAPTER 11 Calculating Paediatric Dosages
Safe Paediatric Drug Dosages
Administration of Oral and Parenteral Medications
Oral Medications
Parenteral Medications
Calculating Drug Dosages by Body Weight
Calculating Drug Dosages by Body Surface Area
Administration of Intravenous Medications Using a Volume Control Chamber
Calculating Daily Fluid Maintenance
Case Study 11.1
Practice Sets
Comprehensive Self-Tests
Appendices
Appendix A Answer Section
Appendix B Common Abbreviations Used in Medical Documentation
Appendix C Summary of Units of Measurement in
Appendix E Tables of Weight Conversions
Appendix F Ratio and Proportion Method for Dosage Calculation
Index
Key Features:
- Covers safe drug administration, systems of measurement, oral and parenteral medications, solutions and paediatric dosages
- A ‘Maths Review’ helps the student to brush up on their maths skills
- Both generic and trade drug names are covered
- Critical thinking case studies, practice tests and exercises prepare students for real calculations
- Comprehensive ‘Workspace’ sections at the end of each chapter ensure understanding of difficult concepts