Computing Dosage for Infants and Children -- Calculation of Dosage by the Body Weight Method

Jian Zou, South Seattle Community College, Seattle, WA
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This material was originally developed by Spreadsheets Across the Curriculum as part of its collaboration with the SERC Pedagogic Service.
Initial Publication Date: August 12, 2007
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Summary

In this Spreadsheets Across the Curriculum activity, students learn how to calculate pediatric dosage using the child's weight in kilograms and the manufacturer's recommended daily dose based on the weight in kilograms. After that, students will create spreadsheets to do the same calculations for children of various weights.

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Learning Goals

Students will:
  • Build an Excel spreadsheet to convert pounds to kilograms.
  • Solve proportion problems.
  • Calculate pediatric dosage using body weight in kilograms and the prescribed daily dose per kilogram body weight.
  • Build an Excel spreadsheet to calculate pediatric dosage based on various body weights.
In the process the students will:
  • Learn how to enter formulas in spreadsheets.
  • Learn how to calculate pediatric dosage based on body weight.

Context for Use

This module is intended as a classroom or take-home practice problem for a mathematics class that is a prerequisite for nursing program students or any nursing classes that teach dosage calculations. It can also be used in a mathematics course as a problem solving exercise for ratios and proportions.

Description and Teaching Materials

SSAC2007.WY159.JZ1.1_Student (PowerPoint 100kB Aug12 07)

The module is a PowerPoint presentation with embedded spreadsheets. If the embedded spreadsheets are not visible, save the PowerPoint file to disk and open it from there.

This PowerPoint file is the student version of the module. An instructor version is available by request. The instructor version includes the completed spreadsheet. Send your request to Len Vacher (vacher@usf.edu) by filling out and submitting the Instructor Module Request Form.

Teaching Notes and Tips

This module is constructed to be used as a stand-alone resource. It may be used as an interactive classroom activity or as a homework assignment. Students should have some basic knowledge about Excel.

Assessment

The last slide of the module is a set of questions that can be used for assessment. The instructor version includes a slide of questions that can be used as a pretest.

References and Resources

Math and Meds for Nurses by Dolores F. Saxton, Norma Ercolano and Colleen Glavinsplehs (Delmar Learning, 2005; first edition by Saxton and Ercolano, 1998)