Pediatric dosages chpt 18

• 2.2 lb = kg?

  1 kg
• Some medication’s administered as a single dose: acetaminophen and ibuprofen
• usually acetaminophen and ibuprofen are medication’s for relief of pain or other symptoms
• Dose is based on child weight
• Systematic approach:

  1.change the child’s weight to kilograms

  2. find the recommended dosage in a reliable source.

  3. Multiply kilogram weight by recommended dose.

  4. The answer is milligrams per dose.

  5. check a drug book to confirm the doses, safe and therapeutic.(s&t)
• Check a drug book to confirm the dose is safe and therapeutic
• Most drugs, especially antibiotics, are calculated based on 24 hour dose
• In a 24 hour dose, the physician determines the dosage
• 24 hours = 4 doses = every 6 hours medicine is given ( 24 divided by 6=4)
• pediatric patients require smaller volumes of fluids
• Avoid concentrations higher than recommend recommended
• When administering IV medication’s to pediatric patients: (same formula as adulta)

  total volume to be infused / total time for f Or infusion in hours = xmL/ h
• If gravity infusion, multiplied by drop factor: total volume to be fused / total time for infusion in min x drop factors = xgtt/min
• Maintenance fluids are those needed for bodily function
• Overhydration or under hydration poses a great danger
• Order or dosage recommendation is usually written in mg/kg/dose or mg/kg/day
• Infant and children are usually weighed in pounds and ounces, order is in kilograms
• Nurse must convert pounds and ounces to kilograms to calculate the safe dose range, round to the hundredths
• -round the dosage calculation answer for how many ML to administer in the hundredths if answer is less than one and round to the 10th of answer is greater than one
• Round weight in kilograms to hundredths
• Round dosages in mg, mcg, etc to hundredths
• Round ivy rates in milliliter/hour to whole numbers
• If using a microdrip pump round to the tenths
• round child, weight to hundredth
• Child weight > 50 kg, use adult dose
• Medication dosage, such as narcotics are rounded to nearest hundredth
• HCP may order a higher or lower dose-dx
• Narcotic are calculated hundredths
• Never exceeded five doses of acetaminophen per day
• Don’t refer to meds as candy
• Use tuberculin syringe for accurate dose
• Vein irritation can be caused by higher, concentrated IV solutions
• Continuous IV medication is based on weight in kilograms
• Safe dosages must be calculated
• Medication is diluted in small amounts of fluid or placed on a medication pump to prevent fluid overload
• If not on a pump, medication must be delivered via special tubing called a buretrol or burette
• Use height and weight with west nomogram
• For child of normal height and weight, may use weight alone
• West monogram are used for estimation of body surface areas and children
• An example of Standard weight for children is 43 pounds and 67 pounds