NR 340 Critical Care Practice Questions
Directions: The purpose of this packet is to prepare you for the medication calculation
exam that is taken on the first day of class. Complete the medication calculation
practice exam prior to the first day of class if needed. In critical care, amounts are
specific. If the calculation is not a whole number, then answers are rounded off to the
nearest 10th decimal place. Pumps can be programmed to allow for a 10 th decimal
place. If the calculation is for drops per minute then it is rounded off to the nearest
whole number because drops cannot be divided. Good Luck!
1. Your patient is ordered a dopamine drip at 7mcg/kg/min. He weighs 120
pounds. Your dopamine is supplied in a concentration of 400mg per 250ml
D5W.
At how many ml/hr should the IV pump be set?
7mcg 250 mL 1mg 1 kg 120 lbs 60 min =
Kg/min 400 mg 1000 mcg 2.2 lbs 1 1 hr
12600000 =
880000
14.318181 (Round to the nearest 10th decimal place) =
14.3ml/hr
2. Your patient is on Nitroprusside (Nipride) to keep his systolic blood pressure less
than 180mmHg. The physician orders state to begin the infusion at
0.1mcg/kg/min and to titrate up every 3 to 5 minutes to desired effect. Maximum
dose to be given is 5mcg/kg/min. Your patient weighs 150 pounds. The
medication comes supplied as 50mg in 250ml D5W.
At how many ml/hr should the IV be started?
0.1 mcg 250 ml 1 mg 1 kg 150 lbs 60 min =
Kg/min 50 mg 1000 mcg 2.2 lbs 1 1 hr
225000 =
110000
2.0454545 (Round to the nearest 10th decimal place) = 2.0 mL/hr
because trailing zeroes are not used the answer is 2 ml/hr
, NR 340 Critical Care Practice Questions
What is the maximum ml/hr that the nipride can be run at?
5 mcg 250 mL 1 mg 1 kg 150 lbs 60 min =
Kg/min 50 mg 1000 mcg 2.2 lbs 1 1 hr
11250000 =
110000
102.27272 (Round to the nearest 10 th decimal place)= 102.3 ml/hr
3. The physician orders Fentanyl 3mcg/kg IVP at a rate of 2mcg/kg/min for
analgesia prior to inserting an endotracheal tube. The patient weighs 50 kg. The
Fentanyl is supplied as 100mcg/ml.
How many ml of Fentanyl will you give?
3 mcg 1 mL 50 kg =
Kg 1000 mg 1
150
100 =
1.5 ml
Directions: The purpose of this packet is to prepare you for the medication calculation
exam that is taken on the first day of class. Complete the medication calculation
practice exam prior to the first day of class if needed. In critical care, amounts are
specific. If the calculation is not a whole number, then answers are rounded off to the
nearest 10th decimal place. Pumps can be programmed to allow for a 10 th decimal
place. If the calculation is for drops per minute then it is rounded off to the nearest
whole number because drops cannot be divided. Good Luck!
1. Your patient is ordered a dopamine drip at 7mcg/kg/min. He weighs 120
pounds. Your dopamine is supplied in a concentration of 400mg per 250ml
D5W.
At how many ml/hr should the IV pump be set?
7mcg 250 mL 1mg 1 kg 120 lbs 60 min =
Kg/min 400 mg 1000 mcg 2.2 lbs 1 1 hr
12600000 =
880000
14.318181 (Round to the nearest 10th decimal place) =
14.3ml/hr
2. Your patient is on Nitroprusside (Nipride) to keep his systolic blood pressure less
than 180mmHg. The physician orders state to begin the infusion at
0.1mcg/kg/min and to titrate up every 3 to 5 minutes to desired effect. Maximum
dose to be given is 5mcg/kg/min. Your patient weighs 150 pounds. The
medication comes supplied as 50mg in 250ml D5W.
At how many ml/hr should the IV be started?
0.1 mcg 250 ml 1 mg 1 kg 150 lbs 60 min =
Kg/min 50 mg 1000 mcg 2.2 lbs 1 1 hr
225000 =
110000
2.0454545 (Round to the nearest 10th decimal place) = 2.0 mL/hr
because trailing zeroes are not used the answer is 2 ml/hr
, NR 340 Critical Care Practice Questions
What is the maximum ml/hr that the nipride can be run at?
5 mcg 250 mL 1 mg 1 kg 150 lbs 60 min =
Kg/min 50 mg 1000 mcg 2.2 lbs 1 1 hr
11250000 =
110000
102.27272 (Round to the nearest 10 th decimal place)= 102.3 ml/hr
3. The physician orders Fentanyl 3mcg/kg IVP at a rate of 2mcg/kg/min for
analgesia prior to inserting an endotracheal tube. The patient weighs 50 kg. The
Fentanyl is supplied as 100mcg/ml.
How many ml of Fentanyl will you give?
3 mcg 1 mL 50 kg =
Kg 1000 mg 1
150
100 =
1.5 ml
