Answer:
2 mL of Medication B
Explanation:
In order to solve for the amount of medication to be administered, the ordered dose must be multiplied by the dosage strength.
The ordered dose is the amount of medication prescribed by the provider to be give to the patient.
The dosage strength is the available concentration of medication typically provided by the pharmacy's stock and usually presented as a proportional fraction.
The following formula represents this calculation:
ordered dose × dosage strength = administered dose
In this case, the ordered dose is 30 mcg of Medication B and the dosage strength is 0.03 mg in 2mL or 0.03mg/2mL.
To change the ordered dose from micrograms (mcg) to milligrams so that it matches the available stock, it must be multiplied by a conversion factor, a proportion reflecting equivalency. There are 1000 mcg in 1 mg:
30 mcg (1 mg/1000 mcg)
mcg in both numerator and denominator cancel each other out, leaving mg as the remaining unit.
30 (1 mg/1000)
= 30 mg / 1000
= 0.03 mg
This new ordered dose of 0.03 can be used in the formula.
0.03 mg × (2 mL / 0.03 mg)
mg in both numerator and denominator cancel each other out, and 0.03 ÷ 0.03 = 1 so what remains is:
1 × 2 mL
= 2 mL
2 mL of Medication B are to be administered IV stat.