What is the most reliable method to calculate a pediatric patient's medication dosage?
a. Age
b. Height
c. Body surface area (BSA)
d. Placement on a growth scale
ANS: C
The most reliable method is by proportional amount of BSA or body weight. Because of the differences in weight among children, age is not a reliable method. Because of the differences in height among children, this is not a reliable method. Placement on a growth scale identifies how the child corresponds to other children on a percentile. Although it is determined by a specific measurement, the percentile identified would not be a specific measurement; therefore, this is not a reliable method.
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