How many ml should the nurse give for acetaminophen elixir (Tylenol) prescribed at 600 mg if the elixir is labeled 500 mg/15 ml?

To determine the correct volume of acetaminophen elixir to administer, it's important to apply the formula for medication dosage calculations, which is based on the concentration of the medication.

The elixir is labeled as containing 500 mg in 15 ml. To find out how many ml are needed for a dosage of 600 mg, you first need to establish the concentration of the elixir in terms of mg per ml:

1. Calculate the concentration:

• 500 mg / 15 ml = 33.33 mg/ml.

Next, to find out how many ml are required for 600 mg, you set up a proportion or perform a simple calculation:

2. Use the concentration to find the required volume for 600 mg:

• ( \text{Volume} = \frac{\text{Desired Dose}}{\text{Concentration}} ).

• Volume = ( \frac{600 , \text{mg}}{33.33 , \text{mg/ml}} ).

This simplifies to:

• Volume = 18 ml.

Therefore, the quantity of elixir that the nurse should give for a prescription of 600 mg is 18 ml.