NCP Nurse Competency Prep practice questions and answers 2026. Tap an option to test yourself — you'll see the correct answer and a plain-English explanation for every question. Free, no login.
Q1A patient is ordered acetaminophen 650 mg PO. The medication is available as 325 mg tablets. How many tablets should the nurse administer?
✓ Correct answer: D. 2 tablets
Using the formula: Desired dose (650 mg) divided by Available dose (325 mg per tablet) = 650 / 325 = 2 tablets.
Q2A physician orders 1000 mL of 0.9% Normal Saline to infuse over 8 hours. What is the correct infusion rate in mL/hr?
✓ Correct answer: C. 125 mL/hr
To calculate mL/hr: Total volume (1000 mL) divided by Time in hours (8 hours) = 1000 / 8 = 125 mL/hr.
Q3An IV is ordered to infuse at 50 mL/hr using tubing with a drop factor of 15 gtt/mL. What is the correct drip rate in drops per minute?
✓ Correct answer: B. 13 gtt/min
Formula: (mL/hr × drop factor) / 60 minutes = (50 × 15) / 60 = 750 / 60 = 12.5, rounded to 13 gtt/min.
Q4A child weighing 44 pounds is prescribed amoxicillin 20 mg/kg/day divided into three doses. What is the dose per administration in mg?
✓ Correct answer: A. 133 mg
First convert pounds to kg: 44 lb / 2.2 = 20 kg. Daily dose: 20 kg × 20 mg/kg = 400 mg/day. Per dose: 400 mg / 3 doses = 133.3 mg, rounded to 133 mg per dose.
Q5A medication order reads morphine sulfate 8 mg IM. The available vial contains 10 mg/mL. How many mL should the nurse draw up?
✓ Correct answer: D. 0.8 mL
Using the formula: Desired dose (8 mg) divided by Available concentration (10 mg/mL) = 8 / 10 = 0.8 mL.
Q6Convert 0.5 grams to milligrams.
✓ Correct answer: C. 500 mg
To convert grams to milligrams, multiply by 1000. Therefore, 0.5 g × 1000 = 500 mg.
Q7A heparin drip is ordered at 1200 units/hr. The IV bag contains 25,000 units in 500 mL. What is the infusion rate in mL/hr?
✓ Correct answer: B. 24 mL/hr
Using ratio-proportion: 25,000 units : 500 mL = 1200 units : X mL. Cross multiply: 25,000X = 600,000. X = 600,000 / 25,000 = 24 mL/hr.
Q8A patient is to receive cefazolin 500 mg IM. The powder must be reconstituted with 2 mL of sterile water to yield 225 mg/mL. How many mL will the nurse administer?
✓ Correct answer: A. 2.2 mL
After reconstitution, the concentration is 225 mg/mL. Using the formula: Desired dose (500 mg) divided by Available concentration (225 mg/mL) = 500 / 225 = 2.22 mL, rounded to 2.2 mL.
Q9A safe dosage range for digoxin is 0.125 to 0.25 mg daily. A physician orders 0.5 mg PO daily. What should the nurse do?
✓ Correct answer: D. Question the order with the physician
The ordered dose of 0.5 mg exceeds the maximum safe dose of 0.25 mg daily (it is double the maximum). The nurse should question this order with the physician before administering to prevent toxicity.
Q10An IV of 250 mL is to infuse over 2 hours using a microdrip set (60 gtt/mL). What is the drip rate in gtt/min?
✓ Correct answer: C. 125 gtt/min
For microdrip (60 gtt/mL), the drip rate equals the hourly rate. First find mL/hr: 250 mL / 2 hr = 125 mL/hr. With microdrip, 125 mL/hr = 125 gtt/min.
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