QMAP Dosage Calculation and Measurement — Questions and Answers
Question 1: A physician orders 0.5 grams of a medication for a resident. The medication is only available in 250 mg tablets. How many tablets should the QMAP administer?
- 1 tablet
- 2 tablets (Correct answer)
- 0.5 tablets
- 4 tablets
Correct answer: 2 tablets
The order is in grams, but the tablets are in milligrams. First, convert grams to milligrams. There are 1,000 milligrams (mg) in 1 gram (g). Therefore, 0.5 g is equal to 500 mg (0.5 x 1000). Next, divide the required dose (500 mg) by the strength of each tablet (250 mg), which equals 2. (500 mg / 250 mg = 2).
Question 2: The Medication Administration Record (MAR) directs you to administer 15 mL of a liquid oral medication. Which of the following is the correct equivalent measurement to use?
- 1 teaspoon
- 2 tablespoons
- 1 tablespoon (Correct answer)
- 1 ounce
Correct answer: 1 tablespoon
In medication measurement, 1 tablespoon (Tbsp) is equivalent to 15 milliliters (mL). A teaspoon (tsp) is 5 mL, and an ounce (oz) is 30 mL. Therefore, 15 mL is correctly measured as 1 tablespoon.
Question 3: A resident has an order for a liquid medication with a dose of 300 mg. The medication's label states the strength is '100 mg per 5 mL'. How many milliliters (mL) should the QMAP pour?
- 10 mL
- 5 mL
- 20 mL
- 15 mL (Correct answer)
Correct answer: 15 mL
This is a ratio and proportion problem. You know that 5 mL contains 100 mg. You need to administer 300 mg. Set up the equation: (100 mg / 5 mL) = (300 mg / X mL). To find X, you can see that 300 mg is 3 times 100 mg, so you need 3 times the volume: 3 x 5 mL = 15 mL.
Question 4: When administering medications, the metric system is preferred over the household system primarily because it is:
- More familiar to residents
- Easier to document with abbreviations
- A more standardized and accurate system (Correct answer)
- Required by all pharmacies
Correct answer: A more standardized and accurate system
The metric system (using mg, g, mL, L) is a decimal-based system that is standardized globally, leading to greater accuracy and fewer errors. Household measures, like teaspoons and tablespoons, can vary in size, making them less precise for medication administration.
Question 5: A physician's order states to give a resident 1 ounce of a liquid medication. The medication cup is marked only in milliliters (mL). How many mL should the QMAP pour to administer the correct dose?
- 15 mL
- 5 mL
- 30 mL (Correct answer)
- 50 mL
Correct answer: 30 mL
The standard medical conversion is 1 ounce (oz) is equivalent to 30 milliliters (mL).
Question 6: Which of the following is the correct way to measure a liquid medication dose of 5 mL?
- Use a household teaspoon
- Pour it into the cap of the bottle
- Use a calibrated oral syringe or medicine cup (Correct answer)
- Estimate half of a tablespoon
Correct answer: Use a calibrated oral syringe or medicine cup
For accurate dosing, especially with small amounts of liquid medication, a calibrated measuring device such as an oral syringe, dropper, or medicine cup must be used. Household spoons are not standardized and should never be used for measuring medication.
QMAP Dosage Calculation and Measurement
A physician orders 0.5 grams of a medication for a resident.
The medication is only available in 250 mg tablets.
How many tablets should the QMAP administer?