Certified Clinical Medical Assistant CCMA Practice Test

To determine the correct amount of activated charcoal to prepare based on a patient's weight, it is essential to convert the weight from pounds to kilograms and then use the dosage guideline of 1 gram per kilogram of body weight.

First, convert the patient’s weight of 176 pounds to kilograms. The conversion factor is that 1 pound is approximately 0.453592 kilograms.

176 lb × 0.453592 kg/lb = 79.832 kg.

Next, to find out how many grams of activated charcoal are needed for a dose of 1 g/kg, you multiply the patient's weight in kilograms by the dosage:

79.832 kg × 1 g/kg = 79.832 g.

Rounding this value provides approximately 80 grams. The closest answer to this calculated amount is 79 grams, which aligns with an accurate understanding of the required dosage based on the patient's weight.

This reasoning supports the selection of 79 grams as the appropriate answer for the dosage preparation.