A nurse is preparing to give clonidine 0.3 mg at bedtime from available tablets of 0.1 mg. How many tablets should the nurse prepare for the dose?

To determine the correct number of tablets to prepare for a dose of clonidine 0.3 mg using available tablets of 0.1 mg each, you would divide the prescribed dose by the strength of each tablet.

First, you take the total dose needed, which is 0.3 mg. Then, divide this by the strength of the available tablets, which are 0.1 mg each.

0.3 mg (desired dose) divided by 0.1 mg (strength of one tablet) equals 3. This means that to meet the prescribed dosage, the nurse should prepare 3 tablets, each contributing 0.1 mg to meet the total of 0.3 mg.

This calculation clearly shows that three 0.1 mg tablets combine to achieve the required dose of 0.3 mg, thus making it the correct answer.