Question

The nurse is preparing to administer a suspension ampicillin labeled, 250 mg/5 mL, to a child with impetigo. The prescription is for 500 mg four times a day. How many mL should the child receive per day?

Answer 1

The child should receive 10 mL of suspension ampicillin per dose, amounting to a total of 40 mL per day based on the prescribed 500 mg four times a day.

Step-by-step explanation:

The student's question pertains to calculating the correct dosage of a medication based on its concentration and the prescribed dose. The suspension ampicillin is labeled as 250 mg/5 mL. The child has been prescribed a dose of 500 mg four times a day. To calculate how many mL the child should receive per dose, we use the concentration of the medication:

250 mg/5 mL = 500 mg/x mL

Solving for x, we cross-multiply and get x = (500 mg * 5 mL) / 250 mg, which simplifies to x = 10 mL per dose. Since the child should receive this dose four times a day, the total volume per day would be:

10 mL/dose * 4 doses/day = 40 mL/day

Therefore, the child should receive a total of 40 mL of suspension ampicillin per day.