NCLEX Dosage Calculation Exam Practice Questions and Answers

Sample Questions and Answers

A provider orders 500 mL of IV fluid to be infused over 4 hours. The drop factor is 15 gtt/mL. How many drops per minute (gtt/min) should the nurse administer?

A) 31 gtt/min
B) 19 gtt/min
C) 25 gtt/min
D) 42 gtt/min
Answer: C) 31 gtt/min
(Calculation: 500×15240=31\frac{500 \times 15}{240} = 31240500×15​=31)

A patient needs 2.5 mg of a medication. The medication is available in 5 mg/2 mL. How many mL should the nurse administer?

A) 0.5 mL
B) 1 mL
C) 1.5 mL
D) 2 mL
Answer: B) 1 mL
(Calculation: 2.5×25=1\frac{2.5 \times 2}{5} = 152.5×2​=1)

A child weighs 15 kg and requires acetaminophen 15 mg/kg per dose. How much acetaminophen should the child receive per dose?

A) 100 mg
B) 225 mg
C) 150 mg
D) 175 mg
Answer: B) 225 mg
(Calculation: 15×15=22515 \times 15 = 22515×15=225)

A medication is ordered as 1 g. The nurse has 500 mg tablets available. How many tablets should the nurse administer?

A) 1 tablet
B) 1.5 tablets
C) 2 tablets
D) 0.5 tablets
Answer: C) 2 tablets
(Calculation: 1000500=2\frac{1000}{500} = 25001000​=2)

The physician orders 0.4 mg of digoxin. The nurse has a vial labeled 100 mcg/mL. How many mL should the nurse draw?

A) 2 mL
B) 4 mL
C) 3 mL
D) 0.4 mL
Answer: B) 4 mL
(Calculation: 400100=4\frac{400}{100} = 4100400​=4)

A provider orders 120 mg of a medication. The vial reads 40 mg/mL. How many mL will the nurse give?

A) 2 mL
B) 3 mL
C) 4 mL
D) 5 mL
Answer: B) 3 mL
(Calculation: 12040=3\frac{120}{40} = 340120​=3)

An IV is running at 75 mL/hr. How many hours will it take for 1,000 mL to infuse?

A) 12 hours
B) 13.3 hours
C) 14 hours
D) 10 hours
Answer: B) 13.3 hours
(Calculation: 100075=13.3\frac{1000}{75} = 13.3751000​=13.3)

A nurse is preparing 0.25 mg of a medication. The stock solution is 1 mg/mL. How many mL should the nurse administer?

A) 1.5 mL
B) 0.25 mL
C) 2 mL
D) 0.5 mL
Answer: B) 0.25 mL
(Calculation: 0.251=0.25\frac{0.25}{1} = 0.2510.25​=0.25)

A child weighing 12 kg is ordered amoxicillin 50 mg/kg/day in 2 divided doses. How many mg per dose should the nurse administer?

A) 200 mg
B) 300 mg
C) 400 mg
D) 500 mg
Answer: C) 300 mg
(Calculation: 50×122=300\frac{50 \times 12}{2} = 300250×12​=300)

A patient is prescribed 8 units/kg/hr of heparin. The patient weighs 75 kg. What is the hourly dose?

A) 500 units/hr
B) 600 units/hr
C) 700 units/hr
D) 800 units/hr
Answer: B) 600 units/hr
(Calculation: 8×75=6008 \times 75 = 6008×75=600)

The provider orders 1.5 g of a medication. The medication comes as 500 mg per tablet. How many tablets will the nurse administer?

A) 1 tablet
B) 2 tablets
C) 3 tablets
D) 4 tablets
Answer: C) 3 tablets
(Calculation: 1500500=3\frac{1500}{500} = 35001500​=3)

A nurse needs to administer 25 mL/hr of a medication via an infusion pump. How many mL will infuse over 12 hours?

A) 200 mL
B) 250 mL
C) 300 mL
D) 350 mL
Answer: B) 300 mL
(Calculation: 25×12=30025 \times 12 = 30025×12=300)

A patient is prescribed 200 mcg of a medication. The stock solution is labeled 0.1 mg/mL. How many mL will the nurse draw up?

A) 1 mL
B) 2 mL
C) 0.5 mL
D) 0.2 mL
Answer: B) 2 mL
(Calculation: 200100=2\frac{200}{100} = 2100200​=2)

The order is for 750 mL of IV fluid to infuse over 5 hours. What is the flow rate in mL/hr?

A) 120 mL/hr
B) 150 mL/hr
C) 160 mL/hr
D) 125 mL/hr
Answer: D) 150 mL/hr
(Calculation: 7505=150\frac{750}{5} = 1505750​=150)

A patient is prescribed 3,000 mL of IV fluids over 24 hours. What is the hourly rate in mL/hr?

A) 150 mL/hr
B) 100 mL/hr
C) 125 mL/hr
D) 200 mL/hr
Answer: C) 125 mL/hr
(Calculation: 300024=125\frac{3000}{24} = 125243000​=125)

A provider orders 650 mg of acetaminophen orally. The nurse has 325 mg tablets available. How many tablets should the nurse administer?

A) 1 tablet
B) 2 tablets
C) 3 tablets
D) 1.5 tablets
Answer: B) 2 tablets
(Calculation: 650325=2\frac{650}{325} = 2325650​=2)

A pediatric patient is prescribed 0.2 mg/kg of a medication. The child weighs 18 kg. How many mg should the nurse administer?

A) 3.4 mg
B) 2.6 mg
C) 3.6 mg
D) 4.2 mg
Answer: C) 3.6 mg
(Calculation: 0.2×18=3.60.2 \times 18 = 3.60.2×18=3.6)

A vial contains 40 mg/mL of a medication. The provider orders 60 mg. How many mL will the nurse draw?

A) 0.5 mL
B) 1.5 mL
C) 2 mL
D) 1 mL
Answer: B) 1.5 mL
(Calculation: 6040=1.5\frac{60}{40} = 1.54060​=1.5)

The provider prescribes an infusion at 200 mL/hr for 4 hours. How many mL of fluid will be infused in total?

A) 400 mL
B) 600 mL
C) 800 mL
D) 1,200 mL
Answer: D) 800 mL
(Calculation: 200×4=800200 \times 4 = 800200×4=800)

A nurse needs to administer 15 mg of a medication. The vial is labeled 30 mg/mL. How many mL should the nurse administer?

A) 0.25 mL
B) 0.5 mL
C) 1 mL
D) 2 mL
Answer: B) 0.5 mL
(Calculation: 1530=0.5\frac{15}{30} = 0.53015​=0.5)

The patient is prescribed 75 mcg of levothyroxine. The pharmacy provides 50 mcg tablets. How many tablets should the nurse administer?

A) 1 tablet
B) 1.5 tablets
C) 2 tablets
D) 0.75 tablet
Answer: B) 1.5 tablets
(Calculation: 7550=1.5\frac{75}{50} = 1.55075​=1.5)

A provider orders 1,500 units of heparin. The vial is labeled 5,000 units/mL. How many mL will the nurse draw?

A) 0.3 mL
B) 0.5 mL
C) 1 mL
D) 0.25 mL
Answer: A) 0.3 mL
(Calculation: 15005000=0.3\frac{1500}{5000} = 0.350001500​=0.3)

A patient weighs 88 lbs and is prescribed 0.8 mg/kg of a medication. How many mg will the nurse administer?

A) 20 mg
B) 28 mg
C) 32 mg
D) 35 mg
Answer: C) 32 mg
(Calculation: Convert 88 lbs to kg: 88÷2.2=4088 \div 2.2 = 4088÷2.2=40. Then 0.8×40=320.8 \times 40 = 320.8×40=32)

The order is for 2,500 mL of fluid to be infused over 12 hours. What is the infusion rate in mL/hr?

A) 250 mL/hr
B) 200 mL/hr
C) 300 mL/hr
D) 275 mL/hr
Answer: A) 250 mL/hr
(Calculation: 250012=250\frac{2500}{12} = 250122500​=250)

A medication is available as 1 g in 100 mL. The provider orders 750 mg. How many mL will the nurse administer?

A) 75 mL
B) 85 mL
C) 100 mL
D) 50 mL
Answer: A) 75 mL
(Calculation: 750×1001000=75\frac{750 \times 100}{1000} = 751000750×100​=75)

A 22-lb child requires a medication dose of 5 mg/kg. What is the total dose in mg?

A) 50 mg
B) 55 mg
C) 60 mg
D) 70 mg
Answer: C) 50 mg
(Calculation: Convert 22 lbs to kg: 22÷2.2=1022 \div 2.2 = 1022÷2.2=10. Then 5×10=505 \times 10 = 505×10=50)

The nurse needs to give 125 mg of a medication. The available solution is 250 mg/5 mL. How many mL will the nurse administer?

A) 1.5 mL
B) 2.5 mL
C) 3 mL
D) 4 mL
Answer: B) 2.5 mL
(Calculation: 125×5250=2.5\frac{125 \times 5}{250} = 2.5250125×5​=2.5)

A prescription requires 1.2 L of fluid over 24 hours. What is the flow rate in mL/hr?

A) 50 mL/hr
B) 75 mL/hr
C) 100 mL/hr
D) 125 mL/hr
Answer: C) 50 mL/hr
(Calculation: 120024=50\frac{1200}{24} = 50241200​=50)

A nurse administers a loading dose of 75 mg and needs to repeat it every 6 hours for 24 hours. How much medication will be administered in total?

A) 300 mg
B) 375 mg
C) 450 mg
D) 500 mg
Answer: B) 375 mg
(Calculation: 75×5=37575 \times 5 = 37575×5=375)

A patient requires an infusion of 1,000 mL over 8 hours. The drop factor is 20 gtt/mL. What is the drip rate in gtt/min?

A) 40 gtt/min
B) 50 gtt/min
C) 42 gtt/min
D) 35 gtt/min
Answer: C) 42 gtt/min
(Calculation: 1000×20480=42\frac{1000 \times 20}{480} = 424801000×20​=42)

A provider orders 0.5 g of a medication. The available vial contains 250 mg/mL. How many mL should the nurse administer?

A) 1 mL
B) 1.5 mL
C) 2 mL
D) 2.5 mL
Answer: C) 2 mL
(Calculation: Convert grams to mg: 0.5×1000=5000.5 \times 1000 = 5000.5×1000=500. Then 500250=2\frac{500}{250} = 2250500​=2)

A nurse is to administer 8 mg of morphine IV. The vial is labeled 10 mg/mL. How many mL should the nurse draw?

A) 0.6 mL
B) 0.8 mL
C) 1 mL
D) 1.2 mL
Answer: B) 0.8 mL
(Calculation: 810=0.8\frac{8}{10} = 0.8108​=0.8)

The provider orders 500 mL of fluid to be infused over 2 hours. What is the infusion rate in mL/hr?

A) 125 mL/hr
B) 200 mL/hr
C) 250 mL/hr
D) 300 mL/hr
Answer: C) 250 mL/hr
(Calculation: 5002=250\frac{500}{2} = 2502500​=250)