Medication Dosage Calculation Test

Nursing schools have to make sure that they produce nurses that will be able to calculate medications in order to prevent medication errors. A nurse has to be able to calculate drip rates, know the metric conversion and how much oral medication to dispense. Most nursing students have to take a medication dosage calculation test (med dose) before each semester begins. A score of at least 90%-95% has to be obtained in order to move on to the next semester. That means you can only miss 1-2 questions on your math test. Most nurses are not comfortable with taking these math tests. In this day and age, the are automatic IV pumps that control drip rates and pharmacists that determine the volume of a medication based upon weight. If you master the rules that this article talks about, then passing the med does test every semester should be a breeze.

Here are a few charts that you should already have learned in grade school through high school. Metric conversion will be on all the med dose tests. Nursing schools want to make sure that you have mastered this. There are three types of medication measurement systems. First is the metric system which is the most commonly used in schools and hospitals. The health professional must be meticulous in converting those measurements into the proper amount of liquid or solid medication that a patient requires. This takes converting from or within one or more of the three systems of measurements that health professionals use. The Apothecary system is one of the oldest system of pharmacologic measurements. It’s expressed in roman numerals and special symbols. A unit of liquid measure is a minim and a unit for weight is a grain. You may even see some roman numeric symbols written in medication orders. Finally, the household system is a less accurate measurement that is based on drops, tablespoons, teaspoons, cups and glasses.

Metric Conversions

1 Liter	1000 Milliliters(mL)
1 Gram	1000 Milligrams(mg)
1 Milligram	1000 Micrograms(mcg)
1 Kilogram	2.2 pounds(lbs.)
5 mL	1 Teaspoon (tsp)
30 mL	1 Ounce (oz)
240 mL	8 oz. or 1 cup
500 mL	16 oz.
1000 mL	1 quart
4000 mL	4 quarts or 1 gallon

Apothecary Conversions

1 mg	1/60 grain
60 mg	1 grain
1000 mg	15 grains
0.06 mL	1 minim (min)
1 oz	15 drams

Other symbols that the Apothecary system uses are: ss = ½, i = one, and ounces=

Household Conversions

1 mL	15 drops
5 mL	1 Tsp
15 mL	1 Tbsp
8 oz	1 cup

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Medications are prescribed in a specific amount or weight per volume. For example a single tablet has 100mg of medication; the volume of that tablet is 1. A medication that comes in 80 mg per 2mL has a volume of 2. Some liquid medications are prescribed as volume alone because they are only available in one strength. Common formulas for calculating medications are ratio and proportion, “desired over have”, and dimensional analysis. If you can remember these basic conversions, you should be able to pass these quarterly tests and use this knowledge throughout your nursing career.