Converting to Different Units of Weight

The main weight measurements are grams, milligrams, micrograms, and nanograms. The relationship between each of these is a factor of 1,000, so conversions require healthcare providers to multiply or divide dosages by 1,000. The prescribed dose is always converted to the units of the available drug dose. This makes it easier to compare the prescription with how the medicine is labelled. For example, if the prescription given is 1.8g, but the available vial of the drug is 600mg, to compare the dosages the same unit of measurement is required. To convert 1.8g to the equivalent milligram dose, it must be multiplied by 1,000 to get 1,800mg. Once the conversion is checked the prescribed dose can be compared with the available dose to calculate how much of the medicine to administer. We would need three 600mg vials to get 1,800mg.