A patient on a clear diet consumes the following for the day:
2 pints of water
an 8 oz. serving of clear soup
an 8 oz. cup of coffee
A nurse reviewing his intake and output notes that his drainage bag shows 1,000 mL for the past day.
What is his deficit in milliliters?

The patient's total intake is calculated first by converting everything to ounces: 2 pints of water x 16 oz per pint = 32 oz.; 32 oz. water + 8 oz. coffee + 8 oz. soup = 48 oz. To convert ounces to milliliters (mL) multiply by 30 oz./milliliter. 48 oz. x 30 ox/mL = 1440 mL. Therefore the deficit in milliliters is 1440-1000 = 440 mL.