A health care provider has prescribed hydroxyurea 20 mg/kg per dose by mouth to an 8 year old child as part of a treatment regimen for sickle cell disease. This is a safe dose. The child weighs 55 lb. How many milligrams should the nurse administer? Enter only the number.

To calculate the dose of hydroxyurea for the child, first convert the child's weight from pounds to kilograms, knowing that 1 kilogram equals 2.2 pounds. The child weighs 55 pounds, which is equivalent to 25 kilograms (55 ÷ 2.2). Then, multiply the weight in kilograms by the dose prescribed, which is 20 mg/kg. So, the calculation would be 25 kg × 20 mg/kg, which equals 500 mg.