Complex Medication Calculations

This unit teaches advanced dosage calculations needed for IV therapy, reconstituted medications, insulin management, and special populations (pregnant and pediatric patients). It builds on foundational math and pharmacology skills to prepare students to safely calculate, adjust, and document doses prior to hands-on administration lessons in the final unit.

Learning Objectives

• Apply dimensional analysis and IV-specific formulas to accurately calculate infusion rates (mL/hr and gtt/min), concentrations, and IV medication dosages for continuous and intermittent therapies.
• Demonstrate correct reconstitution and dilution calculations by determining final concentrations and required volumes after adding diluent and preparing dose calculations for medications supplied as powders.
• Analyze insulin pharmacology and common dosing strategies (including basal-bolus and sliding-scale approaches) to calculate individualized insulin doses and recognize dose-related safety concerns such as hypoglycemia.
• Evaluate weight-based dosing and physiologic adjustments for pregnant and pediatric patients to determine safe dose ranges, document rationale, and identify when to consult licensed prescribers for dose modifications.