Med Math Made Easy

Standard Conversion Converting lbs to kg Rounding

Factors
Clients weight = 44lb
1 mg = 1,000 mcg
Conversion rate is 2.2lb = 1kg Round up if the number to
1g = 1000 mg the right is 5 or higher
clients weight in lbs
1kg = 1000g = kg
divided by 2.2 4.5 = 5
1oz = 30ml 44 lbs
= 20 kg 0.737 = 0.74
2.2
1L = 1000 ml

1kg = 2.2 lb Clients weight divided by 2.2 =

10kg Round down if the number
to the right is 4 or less
Converting kg to lbs.
4.4 = 4
Clients weight = 20kg
0.732 = 0.73
Conversion rate is 2.2lb = 1kg
1 tsp = 5ml
clients weight in kg x 2.2
1 tbsp = 3 tsp (15ml)
* Always look at what the
20 kg x 2.2 = 44lbs
1kg = 2.2 lb problem is asking you to
1 cup = 8 fl oz = 240 Clients weight times 2.2 = 44lb round to!
ml

1gr = 60 mg Ex: round to the nearest

Solid doses (Tablets) whole number

1. Find the desired dose 7.369 = 7

2. What dose the medication come in
3. Convert if needed (mcg to mg to g)
4. Use equation and solve for x Round to the nearest 10th

Available: 100mg tablets 7.369 = 7.4

Needed: 0.2 g PO q 8 hr

Question: how many tablets does the nurse give per dose. Round to the nearest 100th

Grams to mg 0.2g x 1000 = 200mg (need dose) 7.369 = 7.37

have desired 100mg 200mg

= = X = 2 Tabs
quantity X 1 tablet X
 Med Math Made Easy
Liquid Dosages

A nurse is preparing to administer a drug at 0.5 g PO every 8 hrs.

The amount available of the oral suspension is 250mg/ 5mL.

How many mL should the nurse administer per dose?

Round the answer to the nearest tenth. Use a leading zero if it applies. Do not use a trailing zero.

1. Determine what unit of measurement we need to calculate?

(mL, this is for the final answer)

2. What is the Dose that we need to administer?

(Desired amount = 0.5g)

3. What Dose is available?

(250mg)

4. Do we need to convert? (YES! g to mg) or 0.5g to 500mg

X mg = Have ( g ) X 1000mg (what we want to convert to)

500mg = 0.5g (have) X 1000mg

5. What is the quantity of the Dose available? (Available in 5mL)

6. Set up the equation and solve for X.

Desired X Quantity
X mL =
Have

500mg x 5mL
X mL =
250𝑚𝑔
X mL = 10mL
7. Round if necessary
8. Double check if the amount makes sense.
We want to give 500 mg
Available is 250 mg in 5 ml
250mg x 2 = 500
5mL x 2 = 10 ml
 Med Math Made Easy
Injectable Doses

A nurse is preparing to administer a drug 8,000 units subcutaneously every 12 hr.

Available is heparin injection 10,000 units/mL

How many mL should the nurse administer per dose?

Round the answer to the nearest tenth. Use a leading zero if it applies. Do not use a trailing zero.

1. Determine what unit of measurement we need to calculate?

(mL, this is for the final answer)
2. What is the dose the nurse should administer?
8,000 units
3. What is the Dose available?
10,000 units
4. Do we need to convert?
No
5. What is the Quantity of the Dose available?

1mL
6. Set up an equation and solve for X
7.
Desired X Quantity 8,000units x 1mL
X mL = X mL =
Have 10,000 units

X mL = 0.8 mL

8. Round, if necessary. (No)

The answer is already rounded to the tenth.

9. Verify that your dose makes sense.

8000 is less than 10000

8000 is 8/10th of 10000/1mL = 0.8 / 1 = 0.8mL
8000/10000-1mL = 0.8mL
 Med Math Made Easy
Weight Based

A nurse is preparing to administer a drug 8mg/kg/day PO to divide equally every 12hr to a child
who weighs 22lb.

Available in 100mg/5 mL

How many mL should the nurse administer per Dose?

Round to answer to the nearest whole number.

1. Determine what unit of measurement we need to calculate? (kg)

2. Solve for the child’s weight in kg

22lb / 2.2 = 10kg

3. What is our next calculation? (mg)

4. Set up the equation to solve for mg

X = Dose per kg x client’s weight in kg
X mg = 8mg x 10 kg
X mg = 80 mg (this is per 24 hours – still need to figure out the dose for q12hr)

5. What is our next calculation? (mL)

Desired X Quantity 80 mg x 5 mL
X mL = X mL =
Have 100 mg

X mL = 4 mL (per 24 hours)

4 mL / 2 doses per day = 2mL

or
X mL = 2 (per 12 hours)

6. Round, if necessary. (It’s not)

The answer is already rounded to the tenth.

7. Verify that your dose makes sense.

8mg x 10 kg 80mg --- 80 mg x 5ml /100 mg = 4mL split over 2 doses = 2mL
100mg in 5 mL (that means 20mg per 1 mL) 2 mL = 40 mg per dose (2 doses a day = 80mg)
 Med Math Made Easy
IV calculations (manual)

A nurse is preparing to administer Normal Saline 1500mL IV to infuse over 10 hr.

The drop factor on the IV tubing is 15gtt/mL.

The nurse should adjust the manual IV infusion to deliver how many gtt/min?

Round to the nearest whole number.

1. What are we trying to calculate?

gtt/min

2. What is the volume that we want to infuse?

1,500mL

3. What is the total infusion time?

10 hours

4. Do we need to convert for this problem? [Yes, 10 hours to minutes (to match the drip set)]
10 hours x 60 min = 600minuts

5. Set up the equation and solve for X.

volume (mL) 𝑥 𝑑𝑟𝑖𝑝 𝑠𝑒𝑡 (𝑔𝑡𝑡/𝑚𝑖𝑛)
X =
Time (min)

(1,500) 𝑥 (15 𝑔𝑡𝑡/𝑚𝑖𝑛)

37.5 gtt/min =
(600 min)

X gtt/min = 37.5

6. Round if necessary.
37.5 = 38 gtt/min

7. Does our final number make sense?

38gtt/min x 600 min divided by 15 (drip set) = 1520mL (we had to round up, so it works!)
 Med Math Made Easy
Weight Based calculations

1. A nurse is preparing to administer digoxin 12 mcg/kg/day PO to divide equally every 12

hr. to a school-age child who weighs 66 lb. Available is digoxin elixir 0.05 mg/mL. How
many mL should the nurse administer per dose?

2. What are we trying to calculate?

How many mLs to deliver

3. What is the volume that we want to infuse?

12mcg / kg / day (divided into 2 doses)

4. How many administrations in a day?

2 (divided equally every 12 hours)

5. Do we need to convert for this problem? (you can also do it in the table but I prefer to do it
outside of the table)
6. [Yes, 66 pounds to 30 kg)]
66
= 30 kg
2.2
7. [Yes, mcg to mg]
12mcg divided by 1000 = 0.012 mg

8. Set up the equation and solve for X.

mcg X kg X hours X mL
X =
kg X hours x mg
0.012 𝑚𝑔 𝑋 30 𝑘𝑔 𝑋 12 ℎ𝑟 𝑋 𝑚𝐿
3.6 mL =
kg X 24 hr X 0.05mg

mL = 3.6
9. Another view.
0.012mg 30 kg 12 hr mL
kg 24 hr 0.05 mg

0.012mg (converted 30 kg (weight of pt 12 hr (how often we mL (mL is how the

from 12 mcg to mg) converted from 66lb) are giving the shot) drug is supplied)
Kg (this is a 24 hr (just labeled day 0.05 mg (how many
placeholder) as 24 hours) mg are in each mL)
 Practice Problems
IV Pump calculations

1. A nurse is preparing to administer 200 mg of antibiotic in 50 mL of NS to be given over 30

minutes. How many mL per hour will the nurse set the IV infusion pump flow rate.

2. What are we trying to calculate?

How many mLs to deliver per hour. (Automatic pumps operate at mL per hour)

3. What is the volume that we want to infuse?

50 mL (the 200mg of medication is a distractor in this question)

4. Do we need to convert for this problem? Yes (60 min = 1 hr)

30 min = 0.5 hr (60 minutes would be 1 hour)

30min / 60 min = 0.5 hr

5. Set up the equation and solve for X.

mL (to infuse)
X =
hr (over the time)
50 mL
100 mL per hour =
0.5 hr
6. Flow rate is equal to 100 mL per hour
7. 100 mL per hour will deliver 50 mL to the patient in 30 minutes.
 Practice Problems

1. You have an order to give a15 mg drug PO Stat. Available is 30 mg scored Tablet
How many tablets will you give? _____tablets.

2. You have an order to give 100 mg PO BID. Available is 50 mg tablets.

How many tablets will you give? _____tablets

3. Heparin is ordered at 5,000 units subq. Available is Heparin 10,000 units/mL.

How many mls to you give? _____ mL

4. Order was given to supply 500mg antibiotic in 100 mL NS to infuse over 30 min.
At what rate do you set the automatic pump to deliver. _____ mL/hr

5. Your patient has an order for 1000mL of NS to deliver over 8 hours. How many mL
per hour will you set your automatic pump to deliver? ______mL/hr

6. A nurse is preparing to administer medication at 10 mcg/kg/day PO to divide equally

every 8 hr. to a school-age child who weighs 33 lb. Available is an elixir at 0.10 mg/mL.
How many mL should the nurse administer per dose? (remember your conversions!)
_____mL per dose

7. A nurse is preparing to administer Normal Saline 1000mL IV to infuse over 12 hr.

The drop factor on the IV tubing is 60 gtt/mL. The nurse should adjust the manual IV
infusion to deliver how many gtt/min? (round to the nearest whole number)
______ gtt/min
 Answers
1. 0.5 Tablets

2. 2 Tablets

3. 0.5 ml

4. 200 mL per hour

5. 125 mL per hour

6. 0.5 mL per dose

(convert 33 lbs to15 kg, convert 0.10 mg to100 mcg)(3 doses = every 8 hours / you can
leave doses out of the equation and divide your final answer by 3 or you can use 24
hours on bottom and 8 hours on top [3doses x 8hours = 24 hours])

7. 83 gtt/min (1000mL x the 60 gtt dropset / 720 min )