CMT - Certified Medication Technician Dosage Calculation and Measurement Questions and Answers 1 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: A physician orders 0.5 g of a medication for a resident. The medication is available in 250 mg tablets. How many tablets should the Certified Medication Technician (CMT) administer?
- 1 tablet
- 2 tablets (Correct answer)
- 0.5 tablets
- 4 tablets
Correct answer: 2 tablets
First, convert grams (g) to milligrams (mg) since the available dose is in mg. There are 1000 mg in 1 g. Therefore, 0.5 g is equal to 500 mg (0.5 g * 1000 mg/g). Next, use the formula: (Dose ordered / Dose on hand) * Quantity = Amount to administer. (500 mg / 250 mg) * 1 tablet = 2 tablets.
Question 2: A resident is prescribed an oral suspension with a concentration of 125 mg/5 mL. The order is for 250 mg. How many milliliters (mL) should the CMT pour?
- 5 mL
- 7.5 mL
- 10 mL (Correct answer)
- 2.5 mL
Correct answer: 10 mL
Using the formula (Desired Dose / Dose on Hand) x Quantity = Amount to administer: (250 mg / 125 mg) x 5 mL = 10 mL. The CMT should administer 10 mL of the suspension to provide the correct 250 mg dose.
Question 3: The order is to administer 15 mL of a liquid medication. Which of the following is an equivalent measurement?
- 1 teaspoon
- 2 tablespoons
- 1 tablespoon (Correct answer)
- 2 teaspoons
Correct answer: 1 tablespoon
In the household system of measurement, 1 tablespoon (T or tbsp) is equivalent to 15 milliliters (mL). One teaspoon (t or tsp) is equivalent to 5 mL.
Question 4: A resident needs 75 mg of a medication. The available stock is a liquid with a strength of 50 mg per 5 mL. How many mL will the CMT administer?
- 10 mL
- 5 mL
- 1.5 mL
- 7.5 mL (Correct answer)
Correct answer: 7.5 mL
To solve this, use the ratio and proportion method or the standard formula. (Desired dose / Have on hand) x Quantity. (75 mg / 50 mg) x 5 mL = 1.5 x 5 mL = 7.5 mL.
Question 5: A physician orders a medication to be given at a dose of 3000 mcg. The supply on hand is in milligrams (mg). How many milligrams is the correct dose?
- 30 mg
- 0.3 mg
- 3 mg (Correct answer)
- 0.03 mg
Correct answer: 3 mg
To convert micrograms (mcg) to milligrams (mg), you divide by 1000, as there are 1000 mcg in 1 mg. 3000 mcg / 1000 = 3 mg.
Question 6: A resident is to receive 0.25 mg of a medication. The scored tablets available are 0.125 mg each. Which of the following is the correct action for the CMT to take?
- Administer 1 tablet
- Administer 2 tablets (Correct answer)
- Administer half of a tablet
- Request a different medication strength from the pharmacy
Correct answer: Administer 2 tablets
The calculation is: (Dose ordered / Dose on hand) = Number of tablets. (0.25 mg / 0.125 mg) = 2. The CMT should administer 2 tablets to achieve the correct dose.
CMT - Certified Medication Technician Dosage Calculation and Measurement Questions and Answers 1
A physician orders 0.5 g of a medication for a resident.
The medication is available in 250 mg tablets.
How many tablets should the Certified Medication Technician (CMT) administer?