A pediatric nurse is teaching nursing students to calculate medication doses for children using a formula based on body surface area. Which statement by a nursing student indicates understand-ing of the teaching?
a. "This formula helps approximate the first dose; other doses should be based on clinical observations."
b. "This formula accounts for pharmacoki-netic factors that are different in children."
c. "Using this formula will prevent side ef-fects of medications in children."
d. "This formula can determine medication dosing for a child of any age."
A
This formula helps determine an approximate first dose for a child that is extrapolated from an adult dose; subsequent doses should be adjusted based on clinical outcome and serum plasma levels. The formula accounts only for differences in weight and not for differences in pharmaco-kinetic factors. The formula helps determine an effective dose but cannot account for unusual side effects that may occur in children. It may not be effective for all ages because of rapid changes in pharmacokinetics.
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