Evolve HESI Practice Exam

A healthcare provider prescribes morphine sulfate 4mg IM. Morphine is available in 8 mg per ml. How many ml should the nurse administer?

1. 0.25 ml

2. 0.5 ml

3. 1 ml

4. 2 ml

The correct answer is: 0.5 ml

To determine the correct volume of morphine sulfate to administer, it's essential to apply the formula for calculating medication dosages. The prescription indicates a need for 4 mg of morphine. Given that the concentration of morphine is 8 mg/mL, you can set up the calculation as follows: 1. Identify the dose ordered and the available concentration: - Ordered dose: 4 mg - Available concentration: 8 mg/mL 2. Use the formula: - Required volume (mL) = (Desired dose / Concentration of stock solution) 3. Plugging in the values: - Required volume (mL) = 4 mg / (8 mg/mL) When you perform the calculation: 4 mg divided by 8 mg/mL equals 0.5 mL. This means the nurse should administer 0.5 mL of morphine sulfate to deliver the prescribed dose of 4 mg effectively. Thus, the selection of 0.5 mL aligns with the calculation and accurately reflects the dosage needed based on the available concentration.