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Dosage for liquid medicines

Last updated: 28/04/2025
Nurse giving medicine to elderly man
Find out more about how to calculate the right amount of liquid medicine to give a patient. Use practice examples to help you with your approach and explore the two main ways of calculating dosage, using mental arithmetic or a formula.

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Who is this resource for?

This resource is aimed at nurses and nursing support workers across all settings and levels of practice, including students of health, social work and care professions.

What will this resource give me?

  • how prescriptions are written in terms of weight and concentration
  • introduction to using the ‘PEACE’ problem-solving method
  • the differences with using a mental arithmetic and formula approach
  • what methods to use to evaluate your calculation
  • practice examples to test your knowledge
  • understanding strengths and concentrations.

Resource last reviewed

30 Mar 2025

Resource lead

The RCN delivers quality-assured and up-to-date resources for the nursing workforce. Reviewed annually in line with the RCN Quality Assurance policy, all RCN Learn resources meet the RCN’s Nine Quality Standards.

Who is this resource for?

This resource is aimed at nurses and nursing support workers across all settings and levels of practice, including students of health, social work and care professions.

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Downloaded content date

PDF created on: 15 Sept 2025.
Downloaded from: https://uatlearncyan.rcn.org.uk/Search/Dosage-for-liquid-medicines.
Please check: https://rcnlearn.rcn.org.uk for a more up-to-date version of this content.
Last updated: 28/04/2025