After assessing a client, a primary healthcare provider prescribes diphenhydramine 25 mg IV STAT for anaphylaxis. The pharmacy supplies a vial with a concentration of 50 mg/mL.
How much and when should a nurse administer this medication?
Administer 0.5 mL of medication immediately to the client
Administer 25 mg of medication once a day to the client for two weeks
Administer 25 mg of medication every eight hours
Administer 0.5 mL of medication if the client has symptoms of allergy
Administer 0.5 mL of medication if the client has symptoms of allergy
The Correct Answer is A
To find how much medication to administer, you need to calculate the following:
- The volume of diphenhydramine in milliliters
- The infusion time in minutes
First, divide the dose of diphenhydramine by the concentration to get the volume in milliliters:
25 mg / 50 mg/mL = 0.5 mL diphenhydramine should be diluted in 10 to 20 mL of normal saline and infused over at least 2 minutes.
Therefore, the nurse should administer **0.5 mL** of diphenhydramine diluted in 10 to 20 mL of normal saline over **at least 2 minutes**.
The nurse should administer this medication **as soon as possible** after receiving the order and the medication from the pharmacy, as STAT means immediately or urgently. The nurse should also monitor the client for signs of improvement or adverse reactions.
Nursing Test Bank
Naxlex Comprehensive Predictor Exams
Related Questions
Correct Answer is A
Explanation
Insulin is a hormone that helps regulate blood sugar levels. It is usually injected into the fat layer just under the skin (subcutaneous or SubQ) using a syringe and needle or a pen-like device². Insulin syringes are marked in units of insulin, not milliliters or cubic centimeters. The most common insulin syringe holds 1 mL of fluid and has markings for 100 units of insulin². A U-100 syringe means that for every 1 mL of fluid, there are 100 units of insulin³.
To administer 14 units of insulin, you would need to draw up 0.14 mL of fluid in a U-100 syringe. You would inject the insulin into your abdomen, upper arm, butocks, hip, or the front or side of the thigh¹. You would use a different area within the site each time you inject insulin to prevent lumps, swelling, or thickened skin¹.
The other options are incorrect because:
b) There is no need to divide the dose into two injections. This would increase the risk of infection and pain.
c) A tuberculin syringe is not designed for insulin administration. It is marked in milliliters or cubic centimeters, not units of insulin. Using a tuberculin syringe could result in an incorrect dose of insulin.
d) The timing of insulin administration depends on the type and duration of insulin. Some insulins are taken before meals, some are taken after meals, and some are taken once or twice a day. The primary healthcare provider should specify when to take the insulin.
Correct Answer is C
Explanation
The nurse should administer 1 mL per dose to the patient.
This answer is correct because it is based on a simple ratio and proportion calculation. The nurse can set up a proportion as follows:
30 mg / 1 mL = 30 mg / x mL
Cross-multiplying and solving for x gives:
x = 1 mL
Therefore, the nurse should administer 1 mL of Toradol injection to deliver 30 mg of the medication to the patient.
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