Formula sheets, the key method steps for every topic and 6 practice problems, with full solutions at the back.
A woman is about to get out of bed for the first time after birth. What should the nurse do?
A mother on day 1 is quiet, lets the nurse change the baby and talks repeatedly about the birth. How should the nurse interpret this?
A child weighing 10 kg is prescribed 2.5 mg/kg of a drug. The stock solution contains 25 mg/mL. Draw up the dose: what volume V do you give?
An infusion contains 20000 units of a drug in 250 mL. The prescription is 1200 units per hour. At what rate R do you set the pump, in mL/h?
A drip runs at 25 gtt/min through a set of 20 gtt/mL. How many millilitres V does the patient receive in 12 hours?
A drip runs at 40 gtt/min through a set of 20 gtt/mL. There are 900 mL left in the bag. How many hours t until it is empty?
Answer: C · Help her sit, then stand slowly with support
Orthostatic hypotension is common after birth. The nurse helps her sit at the edge of the bed, dangle her legs, then stand slowly with assistance and stays close in case she feels faint.
Answer: B · Normal taking-in behaviour
In the first day or two, dependence, passivity and retelling the birth story are typical of the taking-in phase. The nurse supports rest and comfort and reassesses bonding later.
Answer: V = 1 mL
Drawing up a dose: volume = (prescribed dose/stock strength) × stock volume. Convert to the same units first, then check that the volume fits the syringe and lands on one of its graduations.
On this 10 mL syringe every small line is 0.2 mL.
Answer: R = 15 mL/h
Dose calculation: the amount to give equals what is prescribed divided by what you have, times the quantity it comes in: amount = (desired dose/stock strength) × stock volume. Always keep the units the same (convert g to mg, mg to mcg first) and check that the answer is sensible.
Answer: V = 900 mL
Infusion rates: a pump is set in mL/h = volume/time in hours. A gravity drip is counted in drops per minute: gtt/min = volume (mL) × drop factor (gtt/mL)/time (min). The drop factor is printed on the tubing package: macrodrip sets deliver 10, 15 or 20 gtt/mL (blood sets often 10 gtt/mL in the US, 15 in the UK) and microdrip sets 60 gtt/mL. Always use the drop factor the question or package gives.
Answer: t = 7.5 h
Infusion rates: a pump is set in mL/h = volume/time in hours. A gravity drip is counted in drops per minute: gtt/min = volume (mL) × drop factor (gtt/mL)/time (min). The drop factor is printed on the tubing package: macrodrip sets deliver 10, 15 or 20 gtt/mL (blood sets often 10 gtt/mL in the US, 15 in the UK) and microdrip sets 60 gtt/mL. Always use the drop factor the question or package gives.
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