What it means
The measured quantity of a medicine for one administration, such as 500 mg or 2 puffs. The dosage is the full plan: amount, how often and for how long. A loading dose is a larger first dose to reach the needed blood level fast; a maintenance dose keeps it there. Many children's doses are worked out from body weight in kilograms.
For the nurse
Check the right dose as one of the rights of medication administration, and recalculate any dose that seems too large or too small before giving it. High-alert drugs often need a second nurse to check the dose.
In a chart
"Amoxicillin 40 mg/kg/day in 2 divided doses: 20 kg child receives 400 mg per dose."
At a glance
| Spanish | dosis |
|---|---|
| Also written | doses, dosing |
Related terms
PRN
As needed: an order for a drug or treatment to be given only when the client needs it, within set limits.
bolus
A single amount of a drug or fluid given all at once or over a short time.
pharmacokinetics
How the body takes in, spreads, changes and gets rid of a drug over time.
efficacy
The ability of a drug or treatment to produce the effect it is meant to have.