The physician orders 0.5 mg/kg of a medication. The medication is supplied in a 10 mg/mL solution. The person you are caring for weighs 40 kg. How many mL of the drug would you administer?

To determine the correct volume of medication to administer, you first need to calculate the total dosage required based on the patient's weight. The physician ordered 0.5 mg of the medication for each kilogram of the person's weight. Given that the person weighs 40 kg, you perform the multiplication:

0.5 mg/kg × 40 kg = 20 mg.

Next, since the medication is supplied as a 10 mg/mL solution, you need to figure out how many milliliters are needed to provide the 20 mg dosage. To do this, you calculate the volume using the concentration of the solution.

Using the formula:

Volume (mL) = Total Dose (mg) / Concentration (mg/mL)

you substitute in the values:

Volume (mL) = 20 mg / 10 mg/mL = 2 mL.

Thus, the correct answer is 2 mL. This calculation is essential for ensuring the patient receives the correct amount of medication based on their weight and the concentration available.