A nurse is preparing to administer levothyroxine 100mcg po to a client who has hypothyroidism.
Available levothyroxine is 50 mcg tablets.
How many tablets should the nurse administer? (Round off to the nearest whole number.
Use a leading zero if it applies. Do not use a trailing zero.)
A.
1 tablet.
B.
2 tablets.
C.
3 tablets.
D.
4 tablets.
The Correct Answer and Explanation is:
To determine the number of tablets to administer, follow these steps:
- Understand the Problem:
- The prescribed dosage is 100 mcg of levothyroxine.
- The available levothyroxine tablets are 50 mcg each.
- Calculate the Number of Tablets Needed:
- To find out how many tablets are needed to make up the prescribed dosage, use the formula: Number of tablets=Prescribed dosageDosage per tablet\text{Number of tablets} = \frac{\text{Prescribed dosage}}{\text{Dosage per tablet}}Number of tablets=Dosage per tabletPrescribed dosage
- Substitute the given values: Number of tablets=100 mcg50 mcg/tablet=2 tablets\text{Number of tablets} = \frac{100 \text{ mcg}}{50 \text{ mcg/tablet}} = 2 \text{ tablets}Number of tablets=50 mcg/tablet100 mcg=2 tablets
- Verify the Calculation:
- Each 50 mcg tablet contributes 50 mcg to the total dose.
- Two tablets would provide: 2 tablets×50 mcg/tablet=100 mcg2 \text{ tablets} \times 50 \text{ mcg/tablet} = 100 \text{ mcg}2 tablets×50 mcg/tablet=100 mcg
- This matches the prescribed dosage of 100 mcg.
Explanation:
Levothyroxine is a medication used to replace or supplement thyroid hormone in individuals with hypothyroidism. The standard practice in medication administration is to ensure that the total dosage administered matches the prescribed dosage precisely.
In this case, the nurse needs to administer 100 mcg of levothyroxine. The tablets available are each 50 mcg, so you need to determine how many such tablets add up to 100 mcg. By dividing the total required dose (100 mcg) by the dose per tablet (50 mcg/tablet), we find that 2 tablets are needed.
This calculation is straightforward but crucial for ensuring that the patient receives the correct dose of medication. If the nurse were to administer only 1 tablet, the patient would receive only 50 mcg, which is half of the required dose. Conversely, administering 3 or 4 tablets would exceed the required dose, which could potentially lead to an overdose.
Answer: B. 2 tablets