A nurse is preparing to administer calcium carbonate 3.9 g PO daily in equally divided doses every 12 hr. Available is calcium carbonate 650 mg 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.)

Calculation: Calculate the amount of calcium carbonate to administer per dose. Total daily dose = 3.9 g Number of doses per day = every 12 hr = 2 doses Dose per administration = Total daily dose / Number of doses per day = 3.9 g / 2 = 1.95 g Convert the dose per administration from grams (g) to milligrams (mg). 1 g=1000 mg Dose per administration in mg=1.95 g×1000 mg/g =1950 mg Identify the available dose per tablet. = 650 mg/tablet. Calculate the number of tablets to administer per dose. Number of tablets per dose = Desired dose per administration (mg) / Available dose (mg/tablet) = 1950 mg / 650 mg/tablet = 3 tablets. Rounded to the nearest whole number: 3.