0.75 g of cefixime is prescribed to a patient. Available tablet dose is 250 mg. How many tablets should the nurse give to the patient?

Appeared in: AIIMS Rishikesh NO - 2019

Explanation

The first step is to convert the prescribed dose from grams (g) to milligrams (mg) to match the unit of the available tablets.
Since 1 gram is equal to 1000 milligrams, the prescribed dose of 0.75 g is equivalent to 750 mg (0.75 x 1000).
The required dose (750 mg) is then divided by the dose available per tablet (250 mg).
The calculation (750 mg / 250 mg) results in 3, meaning the nurse should administer 3 tablets.

Option A: Administering 1 tablet would only provide 250 mg of cefixime, which is a significant underdose compared to the prescribed 750 mg.
Option B: Administering 2 tablets would provide 500 mg (2 x 250 mg) of cefixime. This is still less than the prescribed 750 mg, resulting in an underdose.
Option D: Administering half a tablet would provide only 125 mg (250 mg / 2) of the medication, which is a severe underdose.

Clinical Relevance

Nursing practice connection: Use the key finding related to Medication Dosage Calculation to guide bedside assessment, documentation, and the next nursing action.
Accurate dosage calculation is a fundamental nursing responsibility and a critical component of the 'Five Rights of Medication Administration' (Right Patient, Right Drug, Right Dose, Right Route, Right Time).
Medication errors, including incorrect dosing, can lead to adverse drug events, treatment failure (underdosing), or toxicity (overdosing), posing a significant risk to patient safety.
What if the available tablets were 150 mg each? The required dose is 750 mg. The calculation would be 750 mg / 150 mg = 5 tablets. The nurse's action changes based on the available medication strength.

How to Approach the Question

First, identify the key information: the prescribed dose (0.75 g) and the available dose (250 mg per tablet).
Notice that the units are different (grams and milligrams). You must convert them to the same unit before calculating.
Convert the larger unit (grams) to the smaller unit (milligrams) to avoid decimals: 0.75 g = 750 mg.
Apply the standard dosage calculation formula: (Required Dose) / (Available Dose).
Divide 750 mg by 250 mg to find the number of tablets.
Compare your calculated answer with the given options to select the correct one.

Concept Tested & Keywords

Qs59c4caHT1ruyJ8xrE3rH

E6 Pharmacology Nurses Shanbhag 3e p. 51-53

Practise the full AIIMS Rishikesh NO - 2019

Attempt every question from this paper in a timed mock, then review the full solution for each one.