A nurse is preparing to administer somatropin 0.24 mg/kg/week subcutaneously to be divided into six daily doses to a school-age child who weighs 66 lb. How many mg should the nurse administer per dose?

(Round the answer to the nearest tenth. Use a leading zero if it applies. Do not use a trailing zero.)

Choice A rationale:

“Inject the medication into the subcutaneous tissue of your abdomen.” This is correct because exenatide is a type of medication that needs to be injected subcutaneously for it to be absorbed into the body properly.

Choice B rationale:

“Discard excess medication after 60 days.” This statement is incorrect because exenatide pens are usually good for 30 days after the first use.

Choice C rationale:

“Take the medication at bedtime.” This is incorrect because exenatide should be taken within 60 minutes before the morning and evening meal.

Choice D rationale:

“Contact the provider if you experience unexplained muscle pain.” While this is generally good advice when starting any new medication, muscle pain is not a common side effect of exenatide.

Choice A rationale:

Mixing insulin lispro and insulin glargine in the same syringe is not recommended. Insulin glargine has a different pH and mixing it with other insulins could affect its action.

Choice B rationale:

Insulin glargine is a long-acting insulin that is typically given once a day. It provides a steady level of insulin over a 24-hour period.

Choice C rationale:

Shaking insulin vials is not recommended as it can lead to inaccurate dosing. Instead, insulin vials should be gently rolled between the hands to ensure proper mixing.

Choice D rationale:

Insulin lispro is a rapid-acting insulin and should be taken right before a meal. This helps to control the blood glucose spike that occurs after eating.