Weight-based pediatric dosing, double-checking calculations, and pediatric medication safety concepts tested on NCLEX-RN.
30 cards · basic cards · AI-written, checked twice. Edit anything.
- What formula is used to calculate a weight-based pediatric medication dose?
- Dose in mg per kg of body weight (mg/kg)
- Before calculating a pediatric dose, what should the nurse always obtain first?
- An accurate, current weight in kilograms
- Pediatric doses are calculated using the child's weight in ____, not pounds.
- kilograms
- How do you convert a child's weight from pounds to kilograms?
- Divide the weight in pounds by 2.2
- Why does a pediatric nurse perform an independent double-check on a high-alert medication calculation?
- To catch calculation or decimal errors before the dose reaches the child
- What is an independent double-check?
- A second qualified nurse recalculates the dose separately, without seeing the first nurse's work, then the two results are compared
- Name a class of medication that typically requires an independent double-check before pediatric administration.
- High-alert drugs such as insulin, heparin, opioids, or chemotherapy agents
- Why are pediatric patients at higher risk for medication dosing errors than adults?
- Their small body size means a small calculation error causes a proportionally large overdose
- What is the safety rule for a leading zero in a decimal dose?
- Always place a zero before the decimal point, such as 0.5 mg
- What is the safety rule for a trailing zero in a decimal dose?
- Never write a zero after a decimal point; write 5 mg, not 5.0 mg
- Why is a trailing zero after a decimal point dangerous in pediatric dosing?
- It can be misread as a tenfold higher dose, such as 5.0 mg read as 50 mg
- What should a nurse do if a calculated pediatric dose exceeds the standard adult maximum dose for that drug?
- Question the order; a pediatric dose should not exceed the adult maximum
- Which organ's immaturity in infants slows drug metabolism?
- The liver (immature hepatic function)
- Which organ's immaturity in infants slows drug excretion?
- The kidneys (immature renal function)
- How does an infant's higher percentage of total body water affect dosing of water-soluble drugs?
- It increases the volume of distribution, often requiring a higher weight-based dose