A nurse needs to administer 600 mg of a medication. The available supply is 200 mg per tablet. Using dimensional analysis, how many tablets should the nurse administer?

A. 4 tablets: Administering 4 tablets would provide a total of 800 mg, which is 200 mg above the prescribed dose. Such an error could lead to pharmacological toxicity depending on the drug's therapeutic index. This calculation does not correctly apply the principles of dimensional analysis. B. 3 tablets: The calculation is (600 mg) divided by (200 mg per tablet), which equals exactly 3 tablets. This provides the precise dose required by the physician's order without exceeding safety limits. Dimensional analysis ensures the conversion from mass to unit quantity is mathematically sound. C. 2 tablets: This quantity would only deliver 400 mg, resulting in a sub-therapeutic dose for the patient. Failure to provide the full 600 mg may lead to treatment failure or inadequate symptom management. It represents a calculation error in the division of the prescribed mass. D. 1 tablet: Providing only a single tablet results in a 200 mg dose, which is only one-third of the required medication. This significant under-dosing is a violation of the "right dose" in medication administration. It reflects a misunderstanding of the relationship between available strength and ordered dose.