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HESI DOSAGE CALCULATIONS EXAM LATEST UPDATE
THIS YEAR TESTBANK VERSION 1, 2 AND STUDY GUIDE
ALL 250 QUESTIONS AND CORRECT ANSWERS
HESI Dosage Calculations EXAM A
Question: A client is receiving an IV solution of sodium chloride 0.9% (Normal Saline) 250 ml
with amiodarone (Cordarone) 1 gram at 17 ml/hour. How many mg/minute of amiodarone is
infusing? (Enter numeric value only. If rounding is required, round to the nearest tenth.) -
CORRECT ANSWER✔✔Convert grams to mg, 1 gram equals 1,000 mg. Using ratio and
proportion - 1,000 mg : 250 ml :: X mg : 1ml 250X= 1,000 so X = 4 mg/ml is the solution
concentration of amiodarone. The infusion rate (ml/hour) x concentration (mg/ml) divided by
60 minutes/hour 17 ml/hour x 4 mg/ml = 68/60 = 1.13 = 1.1 mg/minute.
Question: A client who weighs 176 pounds is receiving an IV infusion with esmolol
hydrochloride (Brevibloc) at 48 ml/hour. The IV solution is labeled with the concentration of
Brevibloc 10 mg/ml. How many mcg/kg/minute is the client receiving? (Enter numeric value
only.) - CORRECT ANSWER✔✔100
Convert pounds to kg by dividing 176 pounds by 2.2 pounds = 80 kg. Convert the IV
concentration from mg to mcg. 1 mg : 1000 mcg :: 10 mg : 10,000 mcg. Infusion rate (48
ml/hour) x concentration (10,000 mcg/ml) divided by 60 minutes/hour x 80 kg = 48 x 10,000
divided by 60 x 80 = 480, = 100 mcg/kg/minute.
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Question: The nurse is preparing the change-of-shift report for a client who has a 265 ml
secondary infusion that was started 2 hours ago at a rate of 85 ml/hour via an infusion pump.
The nurse should report that how many ml remain to be infused by the on-coming nurse? (Enter
numeric value only.) - CORRECT ANSWER✔✔95
85 ml x 2 hours = 170 ml has infused. 265 ml (total amount to be infused) - 170 ml (amount
infused) = 95 ml remain to be infused.
Question: A male client receives a prescription for ondansetron hydrochloride (Zofran) 4 mg IV
to prevent postoperative nausea after an inguinal hernia repair. The medication is available in 2
mg/ml. How many ml should the nurse administer? (Enter numeric value only.) - CORRECT
ANSWER✔✔2
Use ratio and proportion, 4 mg : X ml = 2 mg : 1 ml 2X = 4 X = 2
Question: The nurse is preparing to administer Hepatitis B Vaccine, Recombinant (Energix-B) 5
mcg IM to a school-aged child. The vaccine is labeled, 10 mcg/ml. How many ml should the
nurse administer? (Enter numeric value only. If rounding is required, round to the nearest
tenth). - CORRECT ANSWER✔✔1 or 0.5
Use ratio and proportion, 5 mcg : X ml :: 10 mcg : 1ml
10X = 5 X = 0.5 ml
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Question: A client's daily PO prescription for aripiprazole (Abilify) is increased from 15 mg to 30
mg. The medication is available in 15 mg tablets, and the client already received one tablet
today. How many additional tablets should the nurse administer so the client receives the total
newly prescribed dose for the day? (Enter numeric value only.) - CORRECT ANSWER✔✔1
30 mg (total dose) - 15 mg (dose already administered) = 15 mg that still needs to be
administered. Using the Desired/Have formula: 15 mg/15 mg = 1 tablet
Question: At the end of the shift, the nurse is recording the fluid balance for a client receiving a
continuous gastrostomy tube (GT) feeding. Based on the client's records, how many ml should
the nurse record for the total fluid balance (intake - output) for the shift that started at 0700
and ended at 1900? (Enter numeric value only.) (Click on each image asset for additional
information.) - CORRECT ANSWER✔✔695
A client with cardiogenic shock weighs 220 lb and is receiving dopamine at the rate of 3
mcg/kg/minute. The solution strength available is dopamine 400 mg in 250 ml of D5W. The
nurse should set the infusion pump to deliver how many ml/hour? (Enter numeric value only. If
rounding is required, round to the nearest tenth.) - CORRECT ANSWER✔✔11.3
First, convert pounds to kg, 220 lb : X = 2.2 lb : 1 kg = 100 kg. Next, calculate the dosage per
minute, 3 mcg/kg/min x 100 kg = 300 mcg/min. Convert mcg/min to mcg/hour, 300 mcg/min x
60 min=18,000 mcg/hour. Convert mcg/hr to mg/hour, 18,000 mcg/hr = 18.0 mg/hour.
Calculate the rate, 400 mg : 250 ml = 18 mg : X ml 400X = 4500 X = 11.25 = 11.3 ml. So, 18
mg/11.3 ml should be infused at 11.3 ml/hour.
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Question: A client with hypertension who weighs 72.4 kg is receiving an infusion of
nitroprusside (Nipride) 50 mg in D5W 250 ml at 75 ml/hour. How many mcg/kg/minute is the
client receiving? (Enter numeric value only. If rounding is required, round to the nearest tenth.) -
CORRECT ANSWER✔✔3.5
Calculate the mg/hour infusing, 50 mg : 250 ml = X : 75 ml 250X = 3750 and X = 15 mg/hour.
Next, convert mg/hr to mcg/hour, 15 mg/hour = 1 mg / 1000 mcg = 15,000 mcg/hour, then
divide by 60 min = 250 mcg/minute. Lastly, 250 mcg/72.4 kg/min = 3.45 = 3.5 mcg/kg/minute.
Question: A client who weighs 70 kg is receiving a dopamine solution of 800 mg/500 ml normal
saline at 5 ml/hour. How many mcg/kg/minute is the client receiving? (Enter numeric value
only. If rounding is required, round to the nearest tenth.) - CORRECT ANSWER✔✔1.9
To change ml/hour to mcg/kg/minute, use the formula: desired rate (5 ml/hour) / volume
available (500 ml) x dose available (800 mg) = 8 mg/hour. Next, convert milligrams/hour to
mcg/kg/minute: mg (8) x 1000 / kg (70) / 60 minutes = 1.904 = 1.9 mcg/kg/minute.
The tube feeding is administered at 75 ml/hour for 11 hours (0700 - 1800) and then turned off
for one hour because the residual is greater than 200 ml. 11 hours x 75 ml/hr = 825 ml. Three
doses of 20 ml of medication are administered, with 10 ml of water used to flush the GT before
and after each dose. 20 ml x 3 doses = 60 ml; 10 ml (flush) x 2 x 3 doses = 60 ml; so 825 ml + 60
