Pharmacology for Nurses Unit 7: Drug Calculation

Unit 7: Drug Calculations

Topic 1: Terms, Units & Conversions

Terms
The following describes a number of ways that things may be expressed.
 Decimals
These are numbers that include a decimal point.
e.g. 6.25
0.732
0.007
489.98

 Decimal Place Values

to the right of the decimal point are tenths, hundredths, thousandths etc., e.g. in the
number 0.862 there are
8 tenths
6 hundredths
2 thousandths

For drug calculations, your final answers will be to 1 or 2 decimal places.

0.862 has 3 decimal places (3 numbers after the decimal point)

0.862 to 1 decimal place = 0.9

(You look at the 2nd number after the decimal point:
if it 5 or more - then you round the 1st number UP
if it 4 or less – then the 1st number stays the same)

0.862 to 2 decimal places = 0.86

(You look at the 3rd number after the decimal point:
if it is 5 or more - then you round the 2nd number UP
if it is 4 or less – then the 2nd number stays the same)

 Percentages
These are the number of parts out of a hundred parts
e.g.
14% means 14 parts out of 100 parts or 14
100
0.3% means 0.3 parts out of 100 or 0.3 or 3
100 1000
Units
It is important to be familiar with and to remember these common units.

Weights
The strength of a drug is often expressed as a weight:
e.g.
kilogram abbreviation is kg Weights
gram abbreviation is g 1 kg = 1000 g
milligram abbreviation is mg 1g = 1000 mg
microgram do not abbreviate this term 1mg = 1000 micrograms

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Do not abbreviate micrograms as this has caused many drug errors in the past.
When ‘micrograms’ is abbreviated to ‘mcg’ or ‘g’ it may be misread as milligrams.
If you give 10milligrams of a drug to a patient when you should have given only
10 micrograms – then you have given 1000 times too much drug.
This could harm a patient or even kill them.
It is safer to write the word ‘micrograms’ in full.
(Another abbreviation that you may see is ‘mega’. This means one million.
e.g. 2.5 megaunits (Mu) of benzylpenicillin = 2500000 units)

Volume
When measuring medicines, we also have to measure volumes:
e.g.
litres abbreviation is L or l
1L = 1000 mL
millilitres abbreviation is mL or ml

Time
For intravenous drugs, we administer a certain volume over a certain time.

Hours abbreviation is h 1 hour = 60 mins

Minutes abbreviation is min or mins

Conversions
You must always use the same units in your calculations.
If you do not use the same units then you will make mistakes
If the units are not the same then you will have to change one of them.
This is called conversion or converting units.

Example 1.1 Example 1.2

Change 0.67 grams to mg Change 185 micrograms to mg

You can cross multiply 1000micrograms = 1mg

1g = 1000mg 185 micrograms = X
0.67g = X cross multiply:
then cross multiply to get: X x 1000micrograms = 185 micrograms x 1mg
X x 1g = 1000mg x 0.67g X = 185 mg
X = 1000mg x 0.67g 1000
1g X = 0.185mg
X = 1000mg x 0.67
X = 670mg

When cross multiplying, always put the same units on the same side of the equal sign.
Example 1.3 Example 1.4
Change 1.3L to mL change 400mL to litres

1L = 1000mL 1000mL = 1L
1.3L = X 400mL = X
cross multiply: cross multiply to get :
X x 1L = 1.3L x 1000mL X x 1000mL = 400mL x 1L
X = 1.3L x 1000mL X = 400mL x 1L
1L 1000mL
X = 1.3 x 1000mL X = 400L
= 1300ml 1000
= 0.4L
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You can use long division, long multiplication or you can use the tables below:

TO MULTIPLY BY: MOVE THE DECIMAL POINT

10 1 place to the right
100 2 places to the right
1000 3 places to the right

TO DIVIDE BY: MOVE THE DECIMAL POINT

10 1 place to the left
100 2 places to the left
1000 3 places to the left

Before you continue with drug calculations, it is important that you remember the units commonly used and you
must be able to confidently convert them to a larger or smaller unit.

Topic 2: Dilutions & Strengths

Drugs will not necessarily be in the strength that you want.

Simple Dilutions
The easiest drug calculation that you will be required to do will be a simple dilution!

Example 2.1
Calculate the volume of water to be added to 500mL of stock solution to make 3 litres of diluted solution.
1 litre = 1000ml
so 3 litres = 3000mL
then 3000mL - 500mL = 2500mL of water

Strengths
Many solutions are made in a concentrated form.
This concentrated solution (this is our stock solution) is then diluted before use.
The concentrated solution may be used at different strengths for different indications.
Water is a common diluent.
The strength of a solution can be written in many different ways.

a. Amount strengths
Amount strengths can be written as
Weight/weight (w/w)
Volume/volume (v/v)
Weight/volume (w/v)
Volume/weight (v/w)
The units are always included. For example,
10mg in 5ml (also written as 10mg/5ml) is a weight/volume strength and
1ml in 50ml (also written as 1ml/50ml) is a volume/volume strength.

Example 2.2
900mg of sodium chloride is dissolved in water to give 100ml of solution .
What is the concentration of the solution, written as an amount strength.

The concentration is 900mg in 100ml but this can be simplified:

900mg in 100ml = 9mg in 1ml
So the amount strength is 9mg in 1ml (also written as 9mg/ml)
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b. Ratio strengths
The strength of a solution may be written as a ratio in 2 ways
1 in x
or 1 to y (this is the same as '1 : y'
For example,

Diluent 1 in 4 (1 part of stock in 4 parts of solution)

Diluent or
Diluent 1 to 3 (1 : 3) (1 part of stock added to 3 parts of diluent)
Stock
1 in 4 is the same as 1 to 3
1 to 3 can be written as 1 : 3

1 in 4 means 1 part of a stock solution in 4 parts of diluted solution.

1 : 3 means 1 part of a stock solution added to 3 parts of diluent.

Ratios can also be written as fractions:

1 in 4 is the same as ¼.

We can use ratio strengths to calculate how much stock is in a solution and also to calculate how
much stock is needed to make a solution.

Example 2.3
How much pure stock solution is present in 200 mL of diluted solution if the strength of the
solution is 1 in 5. (the strength of pure stock solution is 1 in 1 (or 1))
1 in 5 = 1
5
We use this formula to find how much stock:
Amount of stock = Strength required x Total volume required
Stock strenght
Stock streng = 1 ÷ 1 x 200mL
5
= 1 x 200 mL
5
= 40mL
(stock strength can also be called the ‘strength you have’)

Example 2.4
600ml of lotion, strength 1 in 80, is to be prepared from a stock lotion of strength 1 in 20.
How much stock lotion and water is needed?

Amount of stock = Strength required x Total volume required

Stock strenght
= 1 in 80 x 600 mL
1 in 20
= 1  1 x 600 mL
80 20
= 1 x 20 x 600 ml
80 1 1
= 150mL
600mL – 150mL of stock = 450mL of diluent (water)
so 150ml of stock and 450ml of water are needed

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For weak (very dilute) solutions, when ratios such as 1:1000 or 1:5000 are written as fractions, they are
written as:
1:1000 = 1 (not 1 ) & 1:5000 = 1 (not 1 )
1000 1001 5000 5001

Some drugs have their strength written as 1:100 or 1:1000 (adrenaline injection, potassium permanganate
solutions and tuberculin injections are written in this way).
What does this mean?
Strength expressed as 1:100 means 1gram of drug in 100mL of diluent.
Strength expressed as 1:1000 means 1gram of drug in 1000mL of diluent.

Example 2.5
1:1000 adrenaline means 1g of adrenaline in a total of 1000ml.
As 1g = 1000mg then 1:1000 means the same as 1000mg in 1000ml.
1000mg in 1000ml is the same as 1mg in 1ml.
So if you give a patient 1ml of adrenaline injection 1:1000, you are giving
them 1mg of adrenaline.

c. Percentage (%) strengths

A % is the amount of ingredient (or drug) in 100 parts of the preparation.
Because preparations are available as solutions and powders, there are 3 ways of writing %
strengths:

%v/v (volume in volume)

This is the number of mL of drug in 100mL of diluent.
For example, 2%v/v means 2mL in 100mL of diluent.

%w/v (weight in volume)

This is the number of grams of drug in 100ml of diluent.
For example, 5%w/v means 5g in 100mL of diluent.

%w/w (weight in weight)

This means the number of grams in 100g of diluent.
For example, 10% w/w means 10g in 100g of diluent.
These % strengths can be used to calculate how much drug is in a preparation or to calculate how much
drug is needed:

Example 2.6
What weight of sodium bicarbonate is needed to prepare 200ml of a 5%w/v solution?
5%w/v means there is 5g in 100mL so there is X number of grams in 200ml:
5g = X
100mL 200mL
cross multiply
100mL x X = 200mL x 5g
X = 200mL x 5g
100mL
X = 2 x 5g
1
X = 10g

So 10g of sodium bicarbonate is needed to make 200mL of a 5%w/v solution.

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Example 2.7
How much hydrocortisone is needed to make 200g of hydrocortisone 1%w/w ointment?
(1%w/w hydrocortisone = 1g hydrocortisone in 100g of white soft paraffin (diluent))

1g = X
100g 200g
cross multiply
X x 100g = 1g x 200g
X = 1g x 200g
100g
= 2g hydrocortisone is needed to make 200g of 1% w/w ointment

Example 2.8
Calculate the required amount of cocaine 2%v/v stock solution and water to
make 70 ml of cocaine solution 1%v/v.

Amount of stock required =Strength required x Total volume required

Stock strength
= 1%v/v x 70 ml
2%v/v
= 35mL of cocaine 2%v/v
And 70ml – 35ml of cocaine = 35ml diluent (the diluent is water)

So 35ml of cocaine 2%v/v and 35ml of water are needed to make 70ml of
cocaine solution 1%v/v.

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Topic 3: Ratios & Percentages

This unit looks at the relationship between ratios and percentages and how to convert from one to
another.
Example 3.1
Change 1 in 500 to a percentage
1 in 500 is the same as 1
500
To change to a percentage – multiply by 100
1 x 100 = 1
500 5
= 0.2%
Example 3.2
Change 1 : 10 to a percentage
1 : 10 = 1 in 11
= 1 x 100
11
= 100 %
11
= 9.09%
Example 3.3
A 2.5% sodium hypochlorite solution is needed.
Show 2.5% as a ratio strength.
2.5% = 2.5 x 10 ( to get rid of decimal places)
100 10
= 25 = 1 (or 1 in 40 or 1 : 39)
1000 40
Example 3.4
Calculate the percentage strength when 2 mL of disinfectant
concentrate is made up to 1 litre with water. (1L = 1000mL)

Ratio strength = 2 mL
1000 mL
Percentage Strength = 2 x 100 = 0.2%
1000

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Topic 4: Dosages of Tablets & Solutions

Tablets
It is better to use whole tablets (not half or quarter tablets) if possible.
The dose that has been prescribed may be different from the strength of tablets that you have.
You must be able to calculate how many tablets or how much of a tablet you will need to administer to
give the dose.

The formula for calculating this amount is:

Amount to give = strength (or dose) you want x amount you have
strength you have

In this formula - the strength you have = the strength of 1 tablet (the stock strength)
so the amount you have is always = 1 tablet.
The amount to give = number of tablets required for the dose.
This means that this formula for tablets can be simplified to:

Formula for tablets

Amount to give = strength you want
strength you have

Example 4.1
Your patient is prescribed ranitidine 300mg orally.
Your stock of ranitidine is labelled 150mg.
How many tablets do you give to your patient?

Using the formula

Amount to give = strength you want
strength you have
Amount to give = 300mg
150mg
= 2 tablets of ranitidine 150mg

Example 4.2
Ahmed is prescribed digoxin 0.25mg orally.
Your stock of digoxin is labelled 125micrograms.
How many tablets do you give to Ahmed?

The units are different – both mg and micrograms are used so first, change
0.25mg into micrograms.
1mg = 1000micrograms
0.25mg = X
cross multiply to get:
1mg x X = 1000 micrograms x 0.25mg
X = 1000 micrograms x 0.25mg
1mg
X = 1000 micrograms x 0.25
X = 250 micrograms

using the formula

amount you want = strength you want
strength you have
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amount you want = 250 micrograms

125 micrograms
= 2 tablets of digoxin 125 micrograms

Example 4.3

Ahmed is prescribed amoxycillin orally.

Your stock of amoxycillin is 500mg and you gave him a quarter of a tablet.
What dose did you give to Ahmed?

Using the formula, you are now trying to find the dose given (this is the same as
the strength you want)

amount you want = strength you want

strength you have
1 = strength you want
4 500mg
strength you want = 500mg
4
= 125mg
so the dose given to Ahmed was 125mg

Solutions
The strength of preparations containing drugs that are in solution (e.g. syrup or injection) are given as a
strength in a volume.
For example,
amoxycillin is available as a 125mg in 5ml (also written as 125mg/5ml) syrup
frusemide is available as a 50mg in 5ml (also written as 50mg/5ml) injection
The formula to calculate this amount is the same as for tablets.
But, now we have to include the amount you have which is the volume that the strength is in.
As we are working with volumes, we will write volume instead of amount:

Formula for solutions (oral and injection)

Volume to give = strength you want x volume you have
strength you have

Example 4.4
Ahmed needs 500mg of amoxycillin orally.
You have a bottle of amoxycillin syrup with 125mg in 5ml written on the label.
What volume do you give Ahmed?

Using the formula

Volume to give = strength you want x volume you have
strength you have
Volume to give = 500mg x 5ml
125mg
= 4 x 5ml
1
= 20ml of amoxycillin 125mg in 5ml

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Example 4.5
Rafy needs 20mg of frusemide intravenously.
You have frusemide ampoules with 50mg in 5ml written on the label.
What volume do you give Rafy?

Using the formula

Volume to give = strength you want x volume you have
strength you have
Volume to give = 20mg x 5ml
50mg
= 2 x 5ml
5
= 2ml of frusemide 50mg in 5ml

Example 4.6
Rafy has been given 2ml of gentamicin injection.
Your stock of gentamicin ampoules have 40mg in 1ml written on the label.
What dose did you give to Rafy?

Using the formula

Volume to give = strength you want x volume you have
strength you have

2ml = strength you want x 1ml

40mg
so strength you want = 2ml x 40mg
1ml
= 80mg of gentamicin

Note:
For injections, the decimal places in your answer should match the graduations on the syringes being used
to administer the medicine.
Syringes that measure more than 1 ml are graduated (lines equal to an amount) in 0.1 or 0.2 ml and so
when calculating a dose it should be to 1 decimal place.
For syringes that measure less than 1 ml the dose should be calculated to 2 decimal places because they
are graduated in 0.01 ml.
In general, calculate to 3 decimal places and then you can change to 1 or 2 decimal places for your final
answer.

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Topic 5: Intravenous infusions

These calculations are used to find

 how fast an infusion is given (rate)
 how much fluid is given during an infusion (volume)
 how long an infusion lasts (time)

Fluid passes from the container into a drip chamber or into an infusion pump.
A drip chamber is part of a giving set or administration set.
An infusion pump receives fluid from a giving set.
It can be adjusted to change the rate of flow and it converts the fluid into very fine drops before delivering
the fluid to the patient.
Administration sets measure fluid in drops per mL.

Formula
Rate = Volume
Time
This formula can be rearranged to find volume and time.
Volume = Rate x Time
Time = Volume
Rate

Example 5.1
A patient is receiving dextrose 5% by i.v. infusion.
The drip chamber is set to deliver at a rate of 45 mL per hour.
How much fluid will the patient receive over (i) 2 hours (ii) 3 hours?

Volume = Rate x Time

(i) 45ml/h x 2h = 90ml
(ii) 45ml/h x 3h = 135ml

Note: decimals or fractions are rounded up to the next whole number.

This is so that volumes and times are easier to measure.

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Example 5.2

Mr Sick is to receive half a litre of dextrose 5% over 4 hours.

The giving set delivers 20 drops/mL.
Calculate the required drip rate in drops/min.

Rate = Volume
Time
Half a litre = 1 x 1000mL = 500mL
2
and 4 hours = 4h x 60mins/h = 240 mins
Rate = 500mL
240mins
Rate = 2.083ml/min

But the question asks for the rate in drops/min so:

If: 20 drops = X
1mL = 2.083ml
Cross multiply: X x 1mL = 20 drops x 2.083mL
X = 41.667 drops

So the rate = 41.667 drops/min

= 42 drops per min
________________________________________

A short way of doing this calculation is:

Rate = 500ml
4 hours

The conversion can be included in the calculation as follow:

Rate = 500ml x 20 drops/ml

4 hours x 60mins/hour

The ml on the top will cancel and the hours on the bottom will cancel, leaving:

Rate = 500 x 20 drops

4 x 60mins
= 500 x 2drops = 500 drops
4 x 6 mins 12
= 125 drops
3 mins
= 41.667 drops/min or 42 drops/min

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Topic 6: Calculation of Dosages Using Weight

All children, and particularly neonates, are different from adults in their response to drugs.
Risk of toxicity is increased (especially in neonates) due to immature organs which can slow down
metabolism and excretion.
Most paediatric drug dosages are based on the weight of the patient.
It is safest to use the weight until the patient is 50kg or puberty is reached.
Great care must be taken when administering drugs to children because overdoses can be fatal.
The child should always be weighed before calculating a dose.

Do not guess or use an average weight or old measurement!

Child < 12 years
Infant < 1 year
Neonate < 1 month

When doses are written, they can be written as a daily dose or they can be written as the amount of drug
for each individual dose.
Children's doses are usually written as the number of mg or micrograms for each kg of the child's weight.
So, 10mg/kg four times a day is different from 10mg/kg/day four times a day.

Example 6.1 Example 6.2

Individual dose Daily dose

20kg child 20kg child

dose = 10mg/kg QDS dose = 10mg/kg/day QDS
This means that the child will be given This means that the child will be given a total
10mg/kg for each dose. of 10mg/kg in 1 day.

So, dose = 10mg/kg x 20kg QDS So, dose = 10mg/kg/day x 20kg

= 200mg QDS = 200mg/day
but this daily dose is given QDS so
200mg/day  4 doses/day = 50mg/dose

Dose = 200mg QDS Dose = 50mg QDS

We have to be very careful and check whether the dose is given as a daily dose or individual dose.
This is a cause of many mistakes.

Example 6.3
Amad is prescribed erythromycin mixture 40mg/kg/day, four doses daily.
If she weighs 15kg, calculate how many milligrams are in a single dose of mixture.

15 kg x 40 mg/kg/day = 600 mg/day

600 mg/day  4 doses/day = 150 mg/dose

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Example 6.4
Mohamed is ordered pethidine 35 mg I.M. and stock ampoules contain
50mg in 1 mL.
What volume of injection is needed?

Using the formula

volume to give = strength you want x volume you have
strength you have
= 35 mg x 1 mL
50 mg
= 7 ml
10
= 0.7ml

You can see that you use the same formulas for adults to calculate how much stock is needed for
children (except that the amounts are usually smaller than adult doses).

Topic 7: Calculation of Dose using Surface Area

Surface area
Using surface area to calculate doses is more accurate than using a patient’s weight.
Surface area is calculated using a patient’s height and also their weight.
Surface area is usually used for children or for toxic drugs e.g cancer chemotherapy.
The aim is to avoid toxic effects.

There are many ways to check a patient’s surface area:

 Tables
 Calculation
 Nomogram
Example 7.2

Using the nomogram – find the surface area of a 6month old infant with a length of 65cm and
a weight of 8.2kg.

On the nomogram, join the length 65cm and the weight 8.2kg using a ruler
(or other straight edge).
The straight edge should cross the surface area scale at 0.40m2

When you have found the surface area for your patient, you use this information to calculate the dose and
also the amount or volume of stock to administer.

Example 7.3
Ali is prescribed dactinomycin.
This drug is given intravenously to treat paediatric cancers.
The recommended dose is 1.5mg/m2.
Ali’s surface area is 0.4m2.

So if the dose is 1.5mg/m2 then for each dose, Ali will receive
Dose = 1.5mg/m2 x 0.4m2
= 0.6mg

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= 600 micrograms

The stock strength of dactinomycin is 500micrograms/ml, so using the formula for injections and
liquids:
Volume to give = strength you want x volume you have
Strength you have
= 600 micrograms x 1ml
500 micrograms
= 1.2ml of dactinomycin 500micrograms/ml.

PEDIATRIC MEDICATION DOSE CALCULATION

CASE NO 1. Calculation of Paracetamol dose by Young’s Rule

INTRODUCTION

Young's Rule is an equation used to calculate pediatric medication dosage based on the patient's
age and the known recommended adult dose. The definition of Young's Rule is the age of the
patient, divided by the age added to twelve, all multiplied by the recommended adult dose. This
formula appears below:
[Age / (Age + 12)] x Recommended Adult Dose = Pediatric Dose
Young's Rule can be applied to quickly approach a situation in which the patient's weight is
unknown.

If the weight of the patient is known, Clark's Rule or the Body Surface Area rule can be
implemented

Exercise 1.
Calculate the dose of Paracetamol tablet for a 8 year old male patient if adult dose of
paracetam ol is 500 mg following Young’s Rule

Answer:- Given age of patient is = 8 Years

Given adult dose is = 500mg

[ 8 / 8+12] X 500 = 200 mg

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Result: - 200 mg is the calculated dose

CASE NO 2

Calculation of Fluconazole dose by Clark's Rule

INTRODUCTION

Clark's rule is an equation used to calculate pediatric medication dosage based on the known weight
of a patient and a known adult dose of medication to be used. Clark's rule equation is defined as the
weight of the patient in pounds divided by the average standard weight of 150 pounds (68 kg)
multiplied by the adult dose of a drug equals the pediatric medication dose, as is demonstrated
below:
Weight (kg)/ 70 × adult dose
Or
Weight (pounds)/150* adult dose

Clark's rule is one of the known pediatric medication dosing rules described in the medical
literature that utilizes the patient's weight to calculate medication dosage.

Exercise 1.
Calculate the dose of Fluconazole tablet for a 11 year old 18 kg male patient if adult dose of
paracetamol is 400 mg following Young’s Rule

Answer:- Given weight of patient is = 18 Kg

Given adult dose is = 400mg

So, Applying Young’s Rule

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Weight (kg)/ 70 × adult dose

18 Kg/ 70 X 400mg

Result :- 103 mg is the calculated dose

To Study the Drug dose adjustment in renal failure using various equations

INTRODUCTION
The effects of many drugs get altered in renal impairment particularly when a drug has renal
clearance. Drug doses should be altered in renal disease in accordance with the predicted reduction
in the clearance of the drug. Some patient factors also influence the decision to adjust drug doses,
such as the degree of renal disease and patient size. There are some drug factors to be considered to
adjust doses including the drug excretion and the therapeutic index. Estimation of renal function is
helpful in the dosing of renally excreted drugs.

Renal disease can alter the drug concentration in the body and the effects of many drugs,
sometimes reducing their effects but more commonly escalating their effects and thus causing
potential toxicity.
In patients with renal impairment, the dosing of renally cleared drugs has to be adjusted based on
the patient's actual glomerular filtration rate (GFR). In the past, this was done by using the
Cockcroft-Gault equation or measuring creatinine clearance. Lately, the MDRD (Modification of
Diet in Renal Disease) formula is available to physicians, providing an assessment of GFR readily
accessible on routine pathology reports.

The GFR estimation according to every formula is:

1) The Cockroft Gault formula (1973)
GFR={((140–age) x weight)/(72xCreatinine)}x 0.85 (if female)

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2) MDRD equation
186 x (Creatinine/88.4) x (Age) x (0.742 if female) x (1.210 if black)
3) CKD-EPI equation
GFR = 141 × min (S/κ, 1) × max (S/κ, 1) × 0.993 × 1.018 [if female] × 1.159 [if black]
Abbreviations/units S is serum creatinine in mg/dL,κ = 0.7 for females and 0.9 for males,α = -0.329
for females and -0.411 for males,min = the minimum of S/κ or 1, and max = the maximum of S/κ
or 1

CKD Stage/ GFR (mL/min)/ Renal Insufficiency

 Stage 1 120 to 90/none
 Stage 2 89 to 60/mild
 Stage 3a 59 to 45/intermediate
 Stage 3b 44 to 30/moderate
 Stage 4 29 to 15/severe
 Stage 5 14 to 0/ pre terminal, requires dialysis

Exercise: 1

Calculate the glomerular filtration rate of a 46 years old female patient having chronic kidney
disease and under mentioned laboratory parameters using Cockroft Gault formula .

Serum Creatinine = 2.5 mg

Body weight = 45 kg.

Answer:-
Patient Age:- 46 Years
Body Weight:- 45 Kg
Serum Creatinins :- 2.5 mg

GFR={((140–age) x weight)/(72xCreatinine)}x 0.85 (if female)

GFR = {((140 – 46) X45) / (72X 2.5)} X 0.85

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Result: - The Glomerular filtration rate was found to be 23.4 ml/1.73 m2

Topic 8: Procedure for Drug Calculations

Procedure for drug calculations

1. Carefully check the dose in your reference book (e.g. BNF)

2. Check if the dose is for

 each individual dose or
 the daily dose

3. If the dose depends on weight – then check you have an accurate weight

4. Calculate the dose using the correct formula or method

5. Once you have done the calculation, check that you have used the correct units – is it in
grams, milligrams or micrograms?

6. Double check your calculations.

If possible, ask a colleague to check it.

7. Think about your answer!

If the quantity of tablet or liquid seems too large, then check your calculation again.
You may have made a mistake.

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