1 Tea spoon is equal to....ml?

Appeared in: RUHS, Jaipur, M.Sc Nursing Entrance Exam-2018

Explanation

In the metric system, the standard medical and culinary measurement for one teaspoon (tsp) is 5 milliliters (mL).
This conversion is a fundamental unit for calculating dosages of liquid medications to ensure patient safety and therapeutic effectiveness.
Healthcare standards universally adopt this equivalent to prevent dosing errors that can occur with non-standardized household cutlery.

Option A: 1 mL is an incorrect conversion and represents only one-fifth of a standard teaspoon, which would lead to a significant underdose.
Option B: 3 mL is not the standard medical equivalent for a teaspoon. While some non-standard kitchen spoons might hold this amount, using it for medication would result in under-dosing.
Option D: 7 mL is an incorrect value and does not correspond to a single standard household measurement. It is approximately 1.5 teaspoons.

Clinical Relevance

Nursing practice connection: This is primarily an exam-oriented knowledge point with limited direct bedside application, so retain Medication Dosage Conversion: Household to Metric Units as background academic context rather than a clinical decision trigger.
Patient Safety: Using household spoons for medication can lead to significant dosing errors. Nurses must educate patients and caregivers to use only calibrated oral syringes or medication cups.
Pediatric Risk: Dosing errors are particularly dangerous in children, where small variations can lead to toxicity or sub-therapeutic effects. Always use a pediatric-specific dosing device.
What if?: If a prescription calls for 1 teaspoon (5 mL) and the caregiver uses a tablespoon (15 mL), the patient would receive a 300% overdose, which could be toxic depending on the medication.

How to Approach the Question

This is a factual recall question testing knowledge of standard medical conversions.
Identify the units involved: 'teaspoon' (a household measure) and 'mL' (a metric measure).
Recall the standard conversion factor used in healthcare settings for medication administration.
Select the option that matches the correct standard equivalent: 1 teaspoon = 5 mL.
Eliminate other options as they represent incorrect conversion factors that could lead to dosing errors.

Concept Tested & Keywords

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E6 Nursing Fundamentals Potter Perry 12e Part 3 p. 140-142

E6 Nursing Fundamentals Taylor pp. 1059-1061, 848-850

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