Question

The doctor orders 500,000 units of penicillin IM stat and then 250,000 units q 6 hours. The vial contains 1,000,000 units of penicillin and directions say to add 4.5 mL of sterile water to yield 5 mL.
a. How many mL of penicillin will you administer for the stat dose?
b. How many mL will you administer for each subsequent dose?
c. What route of administration will you use?
d. How often will you administer the subsequent doses?

Answer 1

First of all add the 4.5ml of sterile water to the vial making it 5ml,containing 1,000,000 units of penicillin.

ie; each ml contains 200,000 units of penicillin.

A)the stat dose should contain 500,000 units.

As each ml contains 200,000 units,

Required amount =required dose /available dose=2.5ml

B)250,000 units are ordered for the subsequent doses.

Required amount =required dose /available dose=250,000/200,000=1.25 ml

C)The route of administration ordered is Intramuscular.

D)the ordered frequency for the subsequent doses are q 6hours,that is once in 6 hours or qid(4 times a day.)