A medication order reads 0.5 mg/kg for a child weighing 20 kg. If the recommended dosage range is 10 mg to 15 mg, what is the appropriate action?

A. Administer the calculated dose of 10 mg: The calculated dose based on the child’s weight is 0.5 mg/kg × 20 kg = 10 mg. This falls within the recommended safe dosage range of 10–15 mg. Administering this dose ensures safe and effective treatment. B. Give the medication without calculating: Administering medication without calculating the dose based on the child’s weight can lead to underdosing or overdosing, which is unsafe in pediatric patients. Pediatric dosing must always be weight-based to ensure accuracy. C. Administer 15 mg to meet the maximum range: Giving the maximum recommended dose without considering the child’s weight could result in overdosing. The prescribed dose of 10 mg is already safe and appropriate; increasing it unnecessarily could cause adverse effects. D. Hold the medication until further clarification: Holding a medication is only necessary if the calculated dose falls outside the recommended range or there is a safety concern. In this case, the calculated dose is safe, so withholding it would unnecessarily delay therapy.