56. If a 10 mL vial of NPH U-100 insulin is dispensed to a patient who requires 17 units b.i.d., what would be the days supply reported on the prescription claim form?
Answer: C
The days supply reported on the prescription claim form would be 29 days.
A patient requiring 17 units of NPH U-100 insulin twice daily would use a total of 34 units per day. Given the total amount in a 10 mL vial, the days supply can be calculated as 29 days.
A) 6
Choosing 6 days supply would imply that the patient would use the insulin at a much higher rate than prescribed. This option does not account for the total daily requirement of 34 units, leading to a significantly underestimated supply duration.
B) 15
A days supply of 15 also underestimates the patient's actual usage. At 34 units per day, 15 days would not be sufficient, indicating that this option fails to accurately represent the patient's needs.
C) 29
This is the correct answer as it accurately reflects the total usage of the insulin based on the patient's dosage. Calculating the total volume of insulin in the vial, which is 1000 units in 10 mL, divided by the daily requirement of 34 units confirms that the supply will last for 29 days.
D) 59
Selecting 59 days supply would suggest an unreasonable amount of insulin usage beyond what is prescribed. This option significantly overestimates the duration the vial would last, as it does not align with the calculated daily dosage requirement.
Conclusion
The calculation confirms that the correct answer is 29 days, as it aligns with the patient's prescribed dosage of 34 units per day. All other options either underestimate or overestimate the supply duration, demonstrating a failure to accurately calculate the days supply based on the provided insulin vial's contents and the patient's needs.