A nurse is preparing to administer acetaminophen to a 6-month-old infant weighing 18 lbs who has a fever. The physician orders acetaminophen 12 mg/kg/dose PO every 6 hours as needed for fever. The available acetaminophen concentration is 160 mg/5 mL. How many milliliters should the nurse administer per dose? (Round to the nearest tenth.)
Explanation & Rationale
Calculation: Convert the infant's weight from pounds (lbs) to kilograms (kg) Conversion factor: 1 kg = 2.2 lbs Weight in kg = 18 ÷ 2.2 Weight in kg = 8.1818... kg (round to 8.2 kg or keep precise for calculation) Identify the ordered dose per kg and available concentration Ordered Dose: 12 mg/kg Available Concentration: 160 mg / 5 mL Calculate the total dose in milligrams (mg) Total mg Dose = Weight in kg × Dosage (mg/kg) Total mg Dose = 8.1818 × 12 Total mg Dose = 98.18 mg Calculate the volume to administer in milliliters (mL) Volume = (Ordered Dose ÷ Available Dose) × Available Volume Volume = (98.18 ÷ 160) × 5 Volume = 0.6136 × 5 Volume = 3.068 mL Round to the nearest tenth 3.068 mL ≈ 3.1 mL