A nurse is caring for a client who has a new prescription for bupropion 450 mg PO daily divided equally every 3 hr. Available is bupropion 150 mg sustained-release tablets. How many tablets should the nurse administer per dose? (Round the answer to the nearest whole number. Use a leading zero if it applies. Do not use a trailing zero.)

Step-by-Step Calculation Understanding the Problem Total daily dose of bupropion: 450 mg Divided equally every 3 hours Available tablets: 150 mg sustained-release Calculating Doses per Day There are 24 hours in a day. Dividing the day into 3-hour intervals: 24 hours / 3 hours/dose = 8 doses per day Calculating Dose per Administration Total daily dose / Number of doses per day = Dose per administration 450 mg / 8 doses = 56.25 mg/dose Determining Number of Tablets per Dose Dose per administration / Strength of tablet = Number of tablets 56.25 mg/dose / 150 mg/tablet = 0.375 tablets/dose Rounding and Adjusting Since we can't administer part of a tablet, we round up to the nearest whole number: 1 tablet/dose. The nurse should administer 1 tablet of bupropion 150 mg sustained-release per dose.