Page 1193 - Saunders Comprehensive Review For NCLEX-RN

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The body surface area (in square meters [m ]) is indicated where a straight line connecting
the height and weight intersects the surface area (SA) column or, if the child is
approximately of normal proportion, from weight alone (darker blue area).

Box 41-4
How to Use the Nomogram

Example: Use the nomogram (see Fig. 41-3) and calculate the body surface area
(BSA) for a child whose height is 58 inches (147 cm) and weight is 12 kg.

1. Look at the nomogram chart and note that the height is on the left-hand side of
the chart and the weight is on the right-hand side.
2. Place a ruler on the chart and line up the left side of the ruler on the height and
the right side of the ruler on the weight; read the BSA at the point where the
straight edge of the ruler intersects the surface area (SA) column.
3. The estimated SA is given in square meters.

Answer:

Box 41-5

Calculating Medication Dosage
When dosage recommendations for children specify milligrams, micrograms, or
units per square meter, calculating the dosage is simple multiplication.
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Example: The dosage recommendation is 4 mg/m . The child has a body surface
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area of 1.1 m . What is the dosage to be administered?
Answer:

Box 41-6

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