dimensional analysis nursing practice questions pdf

Dosage Calculations

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Dimensional Analysis Nursing (dosage calculations/med math)

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Included In This Lesson

Study tools.

Access More! View the full outline and transcript with a FREE trial

• Dimensional analysis works for any type of med math problem

Nursing Points

• ONE formula/process, not many
• Works for all types of calculations
• No need to convert separately
• Rounds at the end (safest!)

Implementation

• Start with what you’re looking for
• Transfer units across
• Insert what you know, Convert if you don’t
• Repeat 2 & 3, Cancel units until desired result
• Multiply across the top, divide across the bottom
• 12 mcg/kg/min

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Pharmacology for nursing (medmaster).

The Pharmacology Course is a one-stop-shop for all things medication related! We’ll talk you through how to be successful in pharmacology and how to be safe when administering meds. We break down the most common and most important medication classes into easy-to-understand sections. We even walk you through how to conquer the often intimidating med math and drug calculations! When you finish this course you’ll be able to confidently and safely administer medications to your patients!

0 – Pharmacology Course Introduction

1 – nclex must knows.

• 20 Questions
• 13 Questions
• 21 Questions
• 10 Questions
• 5 Questions

2 – Math for Meds

• 1 Questions
• 7 Questions
• 4 Questions
• 3 Questions

3 – Disease Specific Medications

4 – antianxiety agents.

• 2 Questions

5 – Antiarrhythmics

6 – anticoagulants & thrombolytics, 7 – anticonvulsants, 8 – antidepressants, 9 – antidiabetic agents.

• 12 Questions

10 – Antihistamines

11 – antihypertensives.

• 16 Questions
• 9 Questions

12 – Anti-Infectives

• 6 Questions

13 – Antipsychotics

14 – autonomic nervous system meds, 15 – bronchodilators & respiratory drugs, 16 – diuretics, 17 – gi meds, 18 – hormone & immune related drugs, 19 – lipid lowering drugs, 20 – mineral and electrolyte drugs, 21 – mood stabilizers, 22 – non-opioid analgesics, 23 – ob meds, 24 – opioid analgesics, 25 – sedatives / hyponotics, 26 – steroids, 27 – vasodilators, 28 – vasopressors, 29 – medications by class, 30- antineoplastics, 31 – medication infusion.

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How to Solve IV Drug Dosage Problems with Dimensional Analysis

In nursing school, you will be required to show proficiency knowledge in drug dosage and calculations problems. In this article and video you will learn how to solve IV drug preparation problems. In the hospital setting, you may be requires to give Morphine 2 mg IV and the vial you are dispensed from pharmacy may say on it “4 mg/ml”. As a nurse, you will have to know how many ml you will need to draw up with your syringe before you give the medication to the patient.

Dimensional analysis is an easy problem-solving method to help you determine how much of a medication you should give based on the doctor’s order.

How to use Dimensional Analysis in Solving IV Drug Calculations

Before watching the video, be sure to download the worksheet that correlates with the material in the video. You can solve the drug problems as Sarah works them.

Free Quizzes

After you are done watching this video tutorial, test your knowledge by taking the IV bolus quiz.

IV Bolus Dosage Problems Solved using Dimensional Analysis

1. MD orders Morphine 0.5 mg IV every 4 hours as needed for pain. The vial is labeled 2 mg/ml. How many mL will you give per dose?

0.5 mg      x      1 ml =      0.5   =    0.25 ml/dose

? dose            2 mg          2

2. MD orders Versed 4 mg IV pre-procedural. The vial is labeled 1 mg/ml. How many mL will you give per dose?

4 mg      x     1 ml   =   4   =   4 ml/dose

? dose        1 mg        1

3. MD orders Heparin 100 units subq daily. The vial is labeled 50 units/mL. How many mL will you give per dose?

100 units     x     1 ml      =    100     =   2 ml/dose

? dose              50 units       50

4. MD orders Benadryl 25 mg IV as needed for itching. The vial is labeled 1000 mcg/ml. How many mL will you give per dose?

25 mg      x     1,000 mcg      x     1 ml      =   25,000     =    25 ml/dose

? dose             1 mg                1,000 mcg      1,000

5. MD orders Digoxin 0.125 mg IV stat. The vial is labeled 500 mcg/2ml. How many mL will you give per dose?

0.125 mg     x    1,000 mcg     x    2 ml    =   250   =   0.5 ml/dose

? dose              1 mg                500 mcg     500

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5.6 Using Dimensional Analysis

A common method used to perform calculations with different units of measurement is called dimensional analysis. Dimensional analysis is a problem-solving technique where measurements are converted to equivalent units of measure by multiplying a given unit of measurement by a fractional form of 1 to obtain the desired unit of administration. This method is also referred to as creating proportions that state equivalent ratios. Equivalencies described in Section 5.7 are used to set up ratios with the fractional form of 1 to achieve the desired unit the problem is asking for. The units of measure that must be eliminated to solve the problem are set up on the diagonal so that they can be cancelled out. Lines are drawn during the problem-solving process to show that cancellation has occurred. [1]

When setting up a dosage calculation using dimensional analysis, it is important to begin by identifying the goal unit to be solved. After the goal unit is set, the remainder of the equation is set up using fractional forms of 1 and equivalencies to cancel out units to achieve the goal unit. It is important to understand that when using this problem-solving method, the numerator and denominator are interchangeable because they are expressing a relationship. [2]  Let’s practice using dimensional analysis to solve simple conversion problems of ounces to milliliters in Section 5.7 “Conversions” to demonstrate the technique.

Review of Dimensional Analysis on YouTube [3]

• Esser, P. (2019). Dimensional analysis in nursing. Southwest Technical College. https://swtcmathscience.wixsite.com/swtcmath/dimensional-analysis-in-nursing ↵
• RegisteredNurseRN. (2015, February 4). Dimensional analysis for nursing & nursing students for dosage calculations nursing school  [Video]. YouTube. All rights reserved. Used with permission. https://youtu.be/6dyM2puXbgc ↵

Dimensional analysis is a problem-solving technique where measurements are converted to a different (but equivalent) unit of measure by multiplying with a fractional form of 1 to obtain a desired unit of administration.

Nursing Skills - 2e Copyright © 2023 by Chippewa Valley Technical College is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License , except where otherwise noted.

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IV Flow Rate Calculation NCLEX Reviewer & Practice Questions (60 Items)

Welcome to your free NCLEX reviewer and practice questions quiz for IV flow rate calculations and formulas. This quiz aims to help student nurses review and test their competence in the intravenous flow rate calculation.

IV Flow Rate Calculation Nursing Test Bank

The nursing test bank for IV flow rate calculations below is separated into two sets of quizzes. Included topics are IV flow rate calculation, calculating for drops per minute, calculating for milliliters per hour, and total infusion time. If you need a quick review, please read the IV flow rate reviewer below.

Quiz guidelines:

• Take Your Time: No rush! Read each question thoroughly and pick the best answer at your own pace.
• Complete the Quiz: Ensure you answer ALL questions. Only after you’ve answered every item will the score and rationales be available.
• Review Before Submitting: Once you’re done, you’ll be directed to the Quiz Summary . Double-check your answers or see if you’ve missed any before clicking the Finish Quiz button.
• Learn from Rationales: After submitting, click View Questions to understand the explanation for each answer.
• Share Your Thoughts: We’d love your feedback, scores, and questions! Please share them in the comments below.
• Free access. Guess what? Our test banks are 100% FREE. Skip the hassle – no sign-ups or registrations here. A sincere promise from Nurseslabs: we have not and won’t ever request your credit card details or personal info for our practice questions. We’re dedicated to keeping this service accessible and cost-free, especially for our amazing students and nurses. So, take the leap and elevate your career hassle-free!

Quizzes included in this guide are:

IV Flow Rate Calculations Reviewer & Formulas

The IV flow rate study guide below will help refresh your memory on calculating IV flow rates, including a refresher on the formulas and nursing considerations when maintaining IV therapy .

For more information about IV fluids , visit our IV Fluids and Solutions Guide and Cheat Sheet

How to Calculate IV Flow Rate?

• To calculate IV flow rates, the nurse must know the total volume of fluid to be infused and the specific time for the infusion. 
• Intravenously administered fluids are prescribed most frequently based on milliliters per hour to be administered. The volume per hour prescribed is administered by setting the flow rate, which is counted in drops per minute.
• Milliliters per hour (mL/h) . Calculated by dividing the total infusion volume by the total infusion time in hours
• Number of drops per one (1) minute (gtts/min). Calculated by multiplying the total infusion volume to the drop factor and then dividing by the total infusion time in minutes. 
• Infusion time. Total volume to infuse divided by milliliters per hour being infused. 
• Generally, macrodrops have a drop factor of 10, 12, 15, or 20 drops/mL .
• Microdrip sets, on the other hand, have a drop factor of 60 drops/mL . 

How to Regulate IV Fluids?

• Size of the catheter. A catheter with a larger bore allows solution to flow faster. 
• Height of the IV bag . The higher the IV bag , the faster the infusion will flow. 
• Position of the insertion site. A change in the position of the client’s arm may decrease the flo, while elevation on a pillow may increase flow rate. If the IV is inserted into the antecubital area, the solution can flow freely if the client extends the arm and can be obstructed if the client bends the arm at the elbow. 
• Monitoring and regulating the rate of the infusion is a responsibility of the nurse. 
• A slower rate is usually necessary for older adults or those who are at risk of fluid overload (e.g., heart disease or client with head injury ). 
• A faster IV flow rate is therapeutic for patients who have lost large amounts of body fluids and those who are severely dehydrated. 
• Never increase the rate of infusion if it is running behind schedule. Check for obstructions and collaborate with primary care providers to determine the patient’s ability to tolerate an increased flow rate. 
• Flow rate is regulated by tightening or releasing the IV tubing clamp and counting the drops for 15 seconds then multiplying the number 4 to get drops per minute.
• Sometimes, the IV rate order will say “to keep open” (TKO) or “keep vein open” (KVO). This order does not specify the Milliliters per hour. Generally, KVO is infused at 50 mL/h.

Flow-Control Devices

• Flow-control devices are any manual, mechanical, or electronic infusion device used to regulate the IV flow rate. These devices may include manual flow regulators, elastomeric balloon pumps, and electronic infusion devices. 
• EIDs are often used in acute care settings and use positive pressure to deliver a preset fluid volume at preset limits. 
• They are programmed to regulate the IV flow rate in either drops per minute or milliliters per hour. 
• EIDs use gravity to maintain the flow of the IV fluid. They sense the rate and amount of IV fluid. 
• An alarm is set off if there is air in the tubing, the bag is empty, or the flow is obstructed. However, the nurse should still conduct regular evaluations of the IV site. 
• Another type of flow-control device that can deliver several medications and fluids (from either bags, bottles, or syringes) at the same time, at multiple rates. 
• Multichannel pumps usually have two to four channels with each channel that can be programmed independently. 
• Are nonelectric devices used to regular IV flow rate. These are in-line devices with a manual regulator that controls the amount of fluid to be administered. 
• Rotating a dial sets the flow rate. 
• Are disposable, portable, and nonelectric pumps that are prefilled with medication and connect to the client’s needleless connector to deliver a controlled rate of medication .

General Nursing Considerations

• Monitor for infiltration or irritation. Inspect the insertion site for fluid infiltration. If present, stop the infusion and remove the catheter. Restart the infusion at another site and start supportive treatment by elevating or applying heat to the site. 
• Look for signs of infiltration. Infiltration occurs when the IV fluid is not flowing into the client’s vein but into surrounding tissues. Signs of infiltration include swelling or puffiness, coolness, pain at the insertion site, and tenderness in the area. 
• Monitor for signs of phlebitis. Phlebitis is the inflammation of the vein. Signs include pain and tenderness, swelling, and warmth in the area. If phlebitis occurs, stop infusion and restart at another site. Do not use the injured vein again. 
• Regularly monitor IV flow rate. Monitor IV flow rate regularly (every hour) even if the solution is administered through an IV pump . 
• Assess for fluid overload . Regularly assess the patient for signs of fluid overload : increased heart rate , increased respirations, and increased lung congestion . 
• Risk for fluid overload. IV flow-control devices should be used for older and pediatric patients when administering IV fluids . These age groups are at risk for complications of fluid overload.
• Proper documentation. Document all findings on the IV flow sheet or in the computer. Including the total amount of fluid administered, and any adverse responses of the client. 

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15 thoughts on “IV Flow Rate Calculation NCLEX Reviewer & Practice Questions (60 Items)”

Just wanted to let you know that question 25 is incorrect. It should be 137 gtts/min not 138 gtts/min. In your explanation, you’re not following the rules of BEDMAS where you should divide 275/120 first before multiplying by 60. If you follow BEDMAS you get 137.4 which you would round down to 137 gtts/min

Their answer is correct.

A health care provider orders cefoxitin (Mefoxin) 0.5 g in 275 mL of D5W to infuse IVPB over 2 hours; Drop Factor: 60 gtt/mL. How many gtts/min will you regulate the IV? Fill in the blank and round to the nearest whole number for your final answer.

What we want? gtts/min

What we have: 275mL/2hr -> 137.5mL/hr 60gtt/mL

Convert mL/hr to mL/min: 137.5mL/hr * 1hr/60min -> 2.2916666mL/min

Dimensional Analysis: 60gtt/1mL * 2.2916666mL/1min -> 137.5gtt/min or 138gtt/min rounded

The NTG question is incorrect. The question states 5 mcg/min, but the problem is solved using 15 mcg/min.

No matter how you do the math, 275 / 2 x 60 / 60 = 137.5 = 138. The answer is not 137.4. :)

FACTS! THIS IS CORRECT. EVEN AS STATED ABOVE 275/120 X 60 =137.5 = 138

Great practice! Thank you for setting this up! Question 23 reads ” df of 12 gtts per min, how many gtts per min?” It should read Gtts per mL.

I want to clarify ques no 3?

Hi Venilla,

What is your clarification regarding question number 3?

Great practice before my ATI dosage calculations exam!

Why nowadays rationale and whether correct or wrong not showing, kindly respond.

Due to performance issues, in the meantime, we have disabled the rationales from showing after each question. Rationales are still available but only at the end of the quiz. Please bear with us while we try to resolve this problem.

unit of measure drip rate measure is gtt/min gtt/min = 60gtt/ml x 275ml/2hr x 1hr/60min = 16500gtt/120min = 137.5gtt/min 0.5gtt cannot be given hence gtt/min = 138gtt/min

Great opportunity!

Hey good morning!

It seems as if the nursing test bank for IV Flow rate puts you in a continuous two page loop back and forth with no questions present. Maybe the link is broken or missing?

Hi Jeffrey, I checked and it’s working fine on my end. I think your browser is blocking opening new tabs, but I have updated the links and they should open in the same tab/window. Thank you for letting us know!

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