Medication and IV Therapy Calculations

This unit develops applied medication calculation skills and foundational IV/administration procedures used in nursing practice. Students will perform dose conversions and calculations, prepare and administer medications from multiple dosage forms, and practice safe IV access, monitoring, and controlled-substance handling to support clinical decision-making in subsequent units.

Learning Objectives

• Analyze medication orders, prescriptions, and patient information leaflets to calculate and verify correct dosages and dispensing quantities for tablets, liquids, and solution concentrates using conversions, decimals, and averages
• Apply aseptic technique and step‑by‑step preparation to withdraw, dilute, and administer medications from ampoules and vials, clean injection sites, and insert and manage peripheral cannulae while demonstrating prevention and basic troubleshooting of cannula problems
• Demonstrate safe blood transfusion preparation and monitoring procedures, identify early signs of patient deterioration and adverse reactions, and execute appropriate immediate interventions according to established protocols
• Evaluate legal, ethical, and safety considerations for controlled substances (e.g., morphine), interpret prescriptions accurately, and use patient‑specific body and fluid calculations to individualize medication doses