CHAPTER 5: DOSAGE CALCULATIONS RATIO PROPORTION CONVERSION

RESPONSIBLE PARTIES?
o The prescriber who orders the drug
o The pharmacist who dispenses the
drug BETWEEN SYSTEMS ORAL AND PARENTAL
o The nurse who administers the
drug
DOSING CONSIDERATIONS
o Packaging
o Sex
o Weight
o Age
o Physical Condition
o Other drugs that the patient is CALCULATING IV Drip Rate
DIFFERENCES BETWEEN CHILDREN AND
taking
ADULTS
MEASURING SYSTEMS
o Children absorb, distribute,
 Metric System
o Solids: Gram (g) metabolize, and excrete drugs
differently than adults
1 milligram (mg) = 0.001 g
o Children’s organs are not as
developed as an adult’s organs
1 microgram (mcg) = 0.000001 PEDIATRIC DOSAGE CALCULATION
g o Fried’s Rule
1 kilogram (kg) = 1000 g
o Liquids: Liter (L)
1 milliliter (mL) = 0.001 L o Young’s Rule
1 mL = 1 cubic centimeter = 1
cc
 Apothecary System
o Solids: Grain (gr)
60 gr = 1 dram (dr)
8 dr = 1 ounce (oz)
o Liquids: Minim (min) o Clark’s Rule
60 minim = 1 fluid dram (f dr)
8 (f dr) = 1 fluid ounce (f oz)
 Household System o Surface Area Calculation- Most
o Solids: Pound (lb)
1 lb = 16 ounces (oz)
o Liquids: Pint (pt)
2 pt = 1 quart (qt) used
4 qt = 1 gallon (gal)
16 oz = 1 pt = 2 cups (c)
32 tablespoons (tbsp) = 1 pt
3 teaspoons (tsp) = 1 tbsp
60 drops (gtt) = 1 tsp

 Avoirdupois System
o Older system
o Ounces and grains
 Other Systems
o Measures may reflect chemical
activity or biological
equivalence
o Unit
o Milliequivalents
o International units
CALCULATING DOSAGE
o Oral Drugs
o Parenteral Drugs
o Intravenous Solutions