The recap card and the ten-minute drill
One bordered card with an offset shadow holding three stacked bands for the six equations, the CURB checkbox row and the expression rules, above a grid of eight drill cells, with the answer strip set upside down along the foot.
THE SIX EQUATIONS
- Dose from supply: (desired dose in mg ÷ supply strength in mg) × supply quantity in mL = volume in mL
- Ratio and proportion: supply strength in mg is to supply quantity in mL as desired dose in mg is to x mL
- Dimensional analysis: given quantity × (bridging equality) × (bridging equality) = the unit you want
- Pump rate: total volume in mL ÷ total time in hr = rate in mL/hr
- Gravity rate: (volume in mL × drip factor in gtt/mL) ÷ time in min = rate in gtt/min
- Infusion time: total volume in mL ÷ rate in mL/hr = time in hr
Nothing is stated without its units.
THE FOUR-PART SELF-CHECK — CURB
☐ Cancel the units. ☐ Unit asked for is the unit left standing. ☐ Reasonable against the device that will hold it. ☐ Back-calculate into the original stem.
THE EXPRESSION RULES
- Leading zero always, on every number smaller than one.
- No trailing zero ever, after the last meaningful digit.
- Units, micrograms and drug names spelled out in full.
THE TEN-MINUTE DRILL
☐ 1. Convert 0.6 g to milligrams. ______ ☐ 2. Convert 750 mcg to milligrams. ______ ☐ 3. Convert 33 lb to kilograms. ______ ☐ 4. Infuse 2 L over 24 hours by pump. Rate in mL/hr? ______ ☐ 5. Infuse 100 mL over 20 minutes at 10 gtt/mL. Rate in gtt/min? ______ ☐ 6. A 500 mL bag runs at 100 mL/hr. Infusion time in hours? ______ ☐ 7. A bag of 25,000 units in 500 mL is ordered at 1000 units/hr. Rate in mL/hr? ______ ☐ 8. A bag of 100 units in 100 mL runs at 3 mL/hr. Dose in units per hour? ______
ANSWER STRIP (printed inverted along the foot; turn the page to score)
600 mg · 0.75 mg · 15 kg · 83 mL/hr · 50 gtt/min · 5 hr · 20 mL/hr · 3 units/hr
CROSS-LINKS
→ BOOK 05 · P3 for the drug knowledge these problems assume. → BOOK 07 · P6 for every range a protocol references. Reaching for a reference range inside this book is the single most common scope mistake a reader makes. → BOOK 13 · P8 for pediatric dosing context. → BOOK 16 · P5 for where this drill sits in the countdown.
Margin noteif you can do these cold, the calculation items are free points.
Takeawaysix equations, one self-check, three expression rules; that is the whole book on one card.