1. Equipment Used in Dosage Measurement
Chapter 6
MAT 119

2. Objectives
Recognize and select the appropriate equipment for the medication, dosage, and method of administration ordered.
Read and interpret the calibrations of each utensil presented.

3. Medicine Cup Includes metric and household
5 milliliters (mL) = 1 teaspoon (t)
10 milliliters (mL) = 2 teaspoons (t)
15 milliliters (mL) = 1 tablespoon (T)
30 milliliters (mL) = 1 ounce (oz)
Approximate equivalent measures

4. Medicine Cup continued
Not used for small amounts
Provides approximate amount – some medicine sticks to side of cup
Cough syrup

5. Find…
5 mL = ? t
1 t
15 mL = ? T
1 T
1 oz = ? mL
30 mL
1 T = ? t
3 t

6. Find… 1/2 oz = ? mL 2 t = ? mL 1/2 oz = ? T ½ t = ? mL 15 mL 10 mL 1 T

7. Calibrated Dropper Used to administer small quantities
Useful in medication of children and adults and adding small quantities to liquid
Dispense eye and ear medications

8. Pediatric Oral Devices
Used with oral medications for children
Teach caregivers to use correctly
Oral syringes do not have a Luerlock hub and have a cap on the tip (safety issue)

9. Parenteral Medication Administration
The term parenteral refers to any way of giving a drug that does not involve the gastrointestinal (GI) tract.
The focus here is on intravenous, intramuscular, subcutaneous, and intradermal medications.
There are a variety of syringes used for these types of injections.

10. Continued Must identify route of administration for injection
Administration can be via a syringe and needle or an IV catheter
Must use principles of rounding to ensure safety!

11. 3 mL Syringe Length of needle – 1 – 1 ½ inch for IM
Luerlock syringe hub
Plunger
Needle
Barrel
Rubber plunger tip

12. 3 mL syringes Find: 1.5 mL 2.3 mL 0.8 mL
Calibrations are measured in tenths
Find: 1.5 mL
2.3 mL
0.8 mL

13. 5 mL and 10 or 20 mL syringes
Find: 2.4 mL; 4.4 mL
Find: 4 mL; 14 mL

14. Prefilled Single Dose Syringe
Used only once and is discarded
Discard any extra medication prior to injection

15. 1 mL Syringe Length of needle is ½ - 5/8 inch
Also known as Tuberculin or TB syringe
Used to administer small doses
Calibrated in hundredths of a milliliter
Can be used to give IM dosages of 0.5 mL or less, but you
must change needle to 1-1 ½ inches
Length of needle is ½ - 5/8 inch

16. 1 mL syringe Calibrations measured in hundredths Find 0.05 mL 0.25 mL

17. Safety Syringes After use, the needle is protected by a shield
Safety syringes are used to protect from injury

18. Continued

19. Insulin Syringe
The insulin syringe is a specially calibrated syringe that is used to measure and administer insulin (ONLY).
Instead of measuring in mL, it measures in units.
Typically a U-100 syringe is used, which means there are 100 units of insulin per mL.
Always make sure the concentration on the syringe matches the concentration on the insulin vial.

20. Units -100 Insulin Syringe
Measurement and administration of units-100 insulin only
Do not use for any other medications

21. 3 Sizes of U-100 Insulin Syringes

22. Insulin Syringe Which syringe would you choose for the
Calibrations are marked in units
Which syringe
would you
choose for the
following doses?
Dose: 35 units
5 units
63 units

23. Different Sized Syringes: Calibrations

24. Needless Syringe

25. Continued
Prefilled needleless syringe
Used for flushing IV lines