The Use of Drug Calculations in the Office
The Use of Drug Calculations in the Office
Drug calculation is a mandatory skill for nurses in any medical locale. Since medication administration is one of the key roles of medical nurses, being able to calculate correct dosage is vital to safe practice. In calculating drugs dosage I must find the correct dosage of milligrams based on weight and the physician’s order that I will need to find for the required dose. For example, if the doctor requests for 40mg/kg/day and the medication comes in 400mg/5ml, my mathematical equation will be 45kg multiplied by 40mg/kg/day = 1800mg/day. Furthermore, a doctor may order for the patient to take Amoxicillin 500mg, but the medication that comes from pharmacy in Amoxicillin 250mg per tablet. I will calculate that the patient needs to take 2 tablets to achieve the full 500mg dose that got ordered (Lindow, 2004).
Calculating dosage correctly is so significant since it helps in preventing fatal repercussions due to over dose or under dose. Miscalculation of drugs can lead to serious drugs side effects such as skin rushes, vomiting, diarrhea and loss of breath. Furthermore, proper calculation of dosages reduces tendencies of drug wastage and misuse especially for some medication which are so costly. Calculating proper dosage helps in offering the correct measure of prescription ordered by the doctor; hence reducing drug misuse and wastage.
Inaccurate calculations might result to serious drugs side effects such as intense headache, stomachache, and fatigue among other effects. As if not enough, research shows that inaccurate calculations have contributed to the increased emergence of new chronic illnesses as a result of drugs contaminations. For example, Diethylene glycol a highly toxic organic solvent that causes acute renal failure and death when ingested. Sources affirm that there have been recurrent cases of fatalities caused by accidental contamination of medicine with this material, most commonly in cough syrups used mainly by kids (World health organization, 2007).
References:
Lindow B. Karol (2004) Dosage calculation tutorial, Kent State University Regional Campuses retrieved on 12/17/12 from http://www.salem.kent.edu/academics/resources/upload/karol_v5.pdf
World health organization, (2007) Promoting safety of Medicines for children retrieved on 12/17/12 from http://books.google.co.ke/books?id=mee9jZVxRLUC&pg=PA25&lpg=PA25&dq=consequences+of+miscalculation+of+drugs&source=bl&ots=sskbH6KxIf&sig=_7sejv6uRy6hC-YgWWXP4gPYKio&hl=en&sa=X&ei=-vHOUKKsJ8-QhQeQo4GwDQ&ved=0CF4Q6AEwBQ#v=onepage&q=consequences%20of%20miscalculation
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