Prescribing Skills (Part 5 of 8 - Drug Calculation Skills)

Drug Calculation Skills

Mock Assessment

Drug Calculation Question (4 items x 2 marks each = 8 marks)

Suggested time: 5 minutes (for entire question)

You are allowed the use of a BNF and a calculator at any time.


Correct Answer: Write the correct answer with units in the space below.

Working: Write a brief justification of the answer, sufficient to explain how to calculate the correct answer

Open Question

Case Presentation

You would like to start a 5 year old boy who weighs 18 kg on sodium valproate at 10 mg/kg once daily. The oral preparation is available in a 200 mg/5 mL solution.


Calculation

What volume of sodium valproate should he take per dose?

Open Question

Case Presentation

A 60 year-old man presents to Casualty with shortness of breath. He is known to have severe Left Ventricular Failure and is clearly fluid overloaded. You decide to give him a stat dose of 80 mg of Furosemide intravenously. Each 5mL ampoule contains 50 mg of furosemide.


Calculation

What is the total volume of furosemide that the patient will receive?

Open Question

Case Presentation

You are required to give a dose of 1.2 gm Vancomycin over 12 hours through an infusion to a patient. The nurse has made up a 500 mL infusion, with 500mg of vancomycin.


Calculation

At what rate (mL/min) should the syringe pump be sat at?

Open Question

Case presentation

You have been asked to prescribe 25 micrograms/kg of IV Lorazepam every 6 hours to a patient who weighs 80kg.


Calculation

What is the total amount of lorazepam your patient will receive over a 24-hour period?