Part 3 Scenario

Part 2 Scenario 4

Assignment

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Institution:

While I agree with the view in part 1 scenario that the nurse is overdosing the patient, and should have considered the weight and the timing, I believe the solution still needs to be reassessed. The solution does not provide which basis to use when calculating the dosage.

The solution I would suggest is to use the formula of multiplying weight in kilograms by the dosage in kilograms. If for instance the doctor prescribes the same 100 mg dosage daily and specifies that the range falls between 50mg/kg and 100mg/kg. The weight of the child is let’s say 7kg and when the weight is multiplied by the two ranges, it will provide a range of between 350mg per kg and 700mgper kg. Suppose the drug is to be administered every six hours, then it is to be done so four times in a day after dividing the 24 hours by the six hours. Thus after multiplying the 100mg dosage by 4, it will indicate 400 mg per kg which falls within the expected range.

This solution is almost accurate as the nurse will be aware of what the pediatrician’s desired range of dosage is. Thus the patient will get the right treatment based on the age, time for administering and the illness being treated. On the other hand, the solution is weak as it is not standard to all drugs and the weights of the patients. Drugs are varied in form and how they are taken (Case-Lo, 2016).It therefore requires more attention to be paid depending on the type of drug and the type of patient. There best way to handle this is to have guided dosage alterations to cater to the weight and the desired dosage range especially regarding patients who are children. According to Cella et al. (2010), the adjustment of dosage in pediatric situations is justified due to variances in pharmacokinetics, pharmacodynamics, disease or all the factors together.

References

Cella, M., Knibbe, C., Danhof, M., & Pasqua, O.D. (2010). What is the right dose for children? British Journal of Clinical Pharmacology, 70(4), pp.597-603

Case-Lo, C. (2016). Medication Administration: Why It’s Important to Take Drugs the Right Way. Retrieved from http://www.healthline.com/health/administration-of-medication#introduction1