An indispensable reference source for today's nurses, this easy-to-follow guide helps users develop competence in interpreting medication orders and calculating safe medication dosages, and shows them how to accurately prepare and administer safe medications. Progresses from simple to more complex concepts at an easy-to-follow pace, covering all essential areas, including basic arithmetic, metric system of measurement, apothecaries' and household systems of measurement, interpretation of medication orders and labels, calculation of oral medications, powder and crystalline-form drugs, intravenous calculations, and calculating dosages for infants and children. Discusses some of today's most current technology (such as needless systems of medication dispensing); uses the ratio-proportion method for calculating dosages; and includes drug dosage labels of commonly prescribed medications. Presents a four-color format with chapter-opening objectives and highlighted key points, and reinforces comprehension with numerous practice problems and sample exams—complete with step-by-step, worked-out solutions. For nursing faculty, nursing training programs, and others in the health occupations.