Chapter 5, Problem 2AE

Maria is working in the hospital and when taking vital signs, she discovers that a patient has a temperature of 37.6°C. When she checks the orders, she finds the physician has ordered Tylenol gr x to be given every four hours as needed for a temperature above 101°F. Maria notes it is 4 p.m. and the last dose was given at 1300 hours. The Tylenol tablets she has available are marked as 525 mg/tablet. She gives the patient two tablets and charts the time given as 1500.

a. Assuming the last dose was given at 1300 hours, when would the next dose of Tylenol be due? If it is now 4 p.m., how much time has elapsed since the medication was given?

b. Did Maria note the time correctly? If not, how is 4 p.m. expressed in military time?

c. What would be the equivalent of 1018F in the Celsius system? Was the temperature elevated high enough to give the Tylenol as ordered?

d. Was the correct amount of medication given? If not, was too much or too little given?