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    ATI LPN Dosage Calculation PN Nursing Care of Children Proctored Assessment 3.1
    Calculation

    A nurse is reviewing a new prescription for dexamethasone 0.2 mg/kg/day in two divided doses for a child who weighs 66 lb. The amount available is dexamethasone 0.5 mg/5 mL elixir. How many mL 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.)

    mL

    Explanation & Rationale

    To calculate the dosage of dexamethasone in milliliters for the child, first convert the child's weight from pounds to kilograms, knowing that 1 kilogram equals 2.2 pounds. The child weighs 66 pounds, which is approximately 30 kilograms (66 / 2.2). According to the prescription, the child requires 0.2 mg of dexamethasone per kilogram per day. So, for a 30 kg child, the total daily dosage is 6 mg (30 kg * 0.2 mg/kg). This total daily dose should be divided into two doses, which means each dose will be 3 mg (6 mg / 2). Given that the available elixir concentration is 0.5 mg per 5 mL, to administer a 3 mg dose, the nurse would need 30 mL of the elixir (3 mg / 0.5 mg * 5 mL). Therefore, the nurse should administer 30 mL per dose.

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