Pharmacology
EMT-Basic Medication Doses and Routes
Standard protocol dosing for common basic-level medications—memorization anchored to FDA labeling and local standing orders.
High-frequency EMT-Basic doses
Epinephrine for anaphylaxis is commonly 0.3 mg (0.3 mL of 1:1,000) IM in the lateral thigh for adults, with pediatric weight-based auto-injector or drawn doses per protocol. Adult IM epinephrine may repeat at 5–15 minute intervals per standing orders when anaphylaxis persists.1 Auto-injectors deliver fixed doses—0.15 mg and 0.3 mg pediatric/adult products must match patient size.
Nitroglycerin sublingual tablets or spray typically administer 0.4 mg per dose with protocol-limited repeats after blood pressure checks. Naloxone intranasal or IM doses vary by formulation—know whether your agency uses 2 mg IN, 0.4 mg IM, or concentrated products requiring volume conversion. Albuterol metered-dose inhaler assists often specify 2.5 mg via spacer per puff count protocol.
Routes and calculation discipline
DailyMed hosts FDA-approved labels with concentration, route, and maximum daily dose data EMS protocols simplify for emergency single doses.2 Intramuscular epinephrine for anaphylaxis is not the same concentration pathway as intravenous epinephrine in cardiac arrest—route and concentration errors are high-mortality mistakes on exams and in practice.
Weight-based pediatric dosing requires actual or Broselow length-based weight when scale unavailable. Double-check units: milligrams versus milliliters, micrograms versus milligrams. Document exact product, dose, route, site, and time. When medical direction orders a non-standard dose, record physician name and order on the PCR.
Practice this skill
Apply what you read with a hands-on Pharma — Dosages drill — instant feedback on every scenario.
