Part of Lesson Plan: Dosage Calculations

Activity Overview / Details

You will now introduce D/H x Q. Explain that this formula is the most common method used in nursing schools and in hospitals to calculate medication dosages. The formula simplifies the process and decreases the risk of error because it allows for a standard way to arrive at a dosage each time. This means that there is less guessing involved.

D = Dose order (how much the physician has ordered the patient to take)

H = Dose on Hand (how the medication is prepared by the manufacturer for example 10mg or 50 units)

Q = Quantity (form of drug for example, ml, tabs, packet, etc.)