A child is prescribed ciprofloxacin 40 mg/kg/day in 4 divided doses. If the child weighs 15 kg, what is the dose per administration?

Appeared in: UP NHM CHO 7 Sept 2022 (Shift-2)

Explanation

The first step is to calculate the total daily dose by multiplying the prescribed dose per kilogram by the child's weight.
Total Daily Dose = 40 mg/kg/day × 15 kg = 600 mg/day.
The second step is to divide the total daily dose by the number of administrations per day to find the single dose amount.
Dose per Administration = 600 mg/day ÷ 4 doses = 150 mg/dose.

Option A: This dose (75 mg) would result from an incorrect calculation, either by dividing the total daily dose (600 mg) by 8 instead of 4, or by incorrectly calculating the total daily dose using 20 mg/kg/day instead of 40 mg/kg/day.
Option C: This dose (100 mg) would result from incorrectly dividing the total daily dose (600 mg) by 6 instead of 4.
Option D: This dose (200 mg) would result from incorrectly dividing the total daily dose (600 mg) by 3 instead of 4.

Clinical Relevance

Nursing practice connection: Use the key finding related to Pediatric Dose Calculation to guide bedside assessment, documentation, and the next nursing action.
Accurate pediatric dose calculation is a critical nursing skill to prevent medication errors, which can have severe consequences in children due to their smaller body mass and developing organ systems.
The 'seven rights' of medication administration (right patient, right drug, right dose, right route, right time, right documentation, right reason) are especially crucial in pediatrics.
What if the child's weight was recorded in pounds (lbs)? The nurse must first convert the weight to kilograms (1 kg = 2.2 lbs) before performing the dose calculation to avoid a significant error.

How to Approach the Question

First, identify all the necessary information provided in the question: the drug dose (40 mg/kg/day), the child's weight (15 kg), and the frequency of administration (4 divided doses).
This is an analytical/calculation question. The goal is to find the amount for a single dose.
Step 1: Calculate the total amount of medication the child will receive in one full day. Multiply the dose per kg by the child's weight.
Step 2: Calculate the amount for one single administration. Divide the total daily dose by the number of times the medication is given per day.
Step 3: Compare your calculated result with the given options to find the correct answer.

Concept Tested & Keywords

Concept Tested: Pediatric Dose Calculation
Stem keywords: ciprofloxacin, 40 mg/kg/day, 4 divided doses, child, 15 kg
Lead-in keywords: what is the dose
Clinical cues: Age/sex group narrows the expected diagnosis, intervention, or normal reference range.

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E6 Text Book Of Pediatric Nursing 3rd Panchali Pal — Part 3 (pp 477-702 of 713) p. 157-159

Practise the full UP NHM CHO 7 Sept 2022 (Shift-2)

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