How many tablets of atenolol should the nurse administer if the prescribed dose is 50 mg and the available dosage is 100 mg per tablet?

To determine the correct number of tablets of atenolol to administer based on the prescribed dose and the available dosage, one needs to perform a simple calculation. The prescribed dose is 50 mg, while each tablet contains 100 mg.

When calculating the number of tablets needed for a 50 mg dose with 100 mg per tablet, take the prescribed dose (50 mg) and divide it by the amount in each tablet (100 mg). This gives you:

50 mg / 100 mg per tablet = 0.5 tablets.

This calculation shows that to achieve the prescribed dose of 50 mg, only half of a tablet (0.5 tablets) is needed. Therefore, the correct answer reflects that administration of 0.5 tablets is necessary to meet the therapeutic requirements set by the prescribing physician.