An order is for trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole 120 mg BID, and the label shows 200 mg/5 ml. How many ml should the nurse administer per dose?

To determine the correct volume in milliliters to administer, it's essential to start by understanding the medication concentration and the required dose. The order is for trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole 120 mg per dose.

The label indicates a concentration of 200 mg per 5 ml. This means that in every 5 ml of the solution, there are 200 mg of the medication. To find out how many milliliters are needed to obtain a 120 mg dose, we can set up a proportion based on the concentration provided:

1. We know that 200 mg is contained in 5 ml.

2. We need to find out how much volume (X in ml) would contain 120 mg.

Using the equation:

[

\frac{200 , \text{mg}}{5 , \text{ml}} = \frac{120 , \text{mg}}{X , \text{ml}}

]

Now, cross-multiplying gives us:

[

200 , \text{mg} \times X , \text{ml} = 120 , \text{mg} \times 5 , \text{ml}

]

[