Common Registration Assessment, Part 1

Mometasone nasal spray sprays per nostril and daily limits for the GPhC assessment

Three original practice questions, with the working shown. Read the stated prescription or plan before calculating.

Published 30 October 2026. Independent revision material, not GPhC questions, not for patient care.

Nasal spray bottle with capsules on a table
Photo from Pexels, used under the Pexels licence. It is a stock image and does not show the exercise.

The NHS lists the usual dose of mometasone nasal spray as 1 or 2 sprays in each nostril once a day, with no more than 2 sprays in each nostril in 24 hours.

The NHS states that for nasal polyps the usual dose is 1 or 2 sprays in each nostril once or twice a day, with no more than 4 sprays in either nostril in 24 hours.

The NHS advises that a bought spray can be used less often once symptoms are under control, for example moving from 2 sprays in each nostril once a day to 1 spray in each nostril once a day.

Each question fixes the values needed for its arithmetic. Write the unit beside every step and distinguish a single dose from a daily total or course supply. All prescriptions and patients here are fictional; these are revision materials, not for patient care.

The method

  1. Identify the stated dose per nostril and whether one or both nostrils are treated.
  2. Multiply by 2 for both nostrils before applying the daily frequency.
  3. Add all occasions in the day before comparing with the stated per-nostril 24-hour limit.
  4. Scale the daily total to the stated duration for supply questions.
  5. Divide a bottle's stated spray count by the daily use only when the question asks how long it lasts.

Three practice questions

Work each one on paper first, then open the answer. All patients and prescriptions are fictional.

Question 1

A fictional patient uses 2 sprays in each nostril once a day. How many sprays is that in 28 days?

Show the answer

Answer: 112 sprays

Working: 2 sprays x 2 nostrils = 4 sprays a day; 4 x 28 days = 112 sprays.

Question 2

A fictional bottle contains 140 sprays. At 1 spray in each nostril once a day, how many days will it last?

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Answer: 70 days

Working: 1 spray x 2 nostrils = 2 sprays a day; 140 sprays / 2 sprays = 70 days.

Question 3

A fictional plan for nasal polyps is 2 sprays in each nostril twice a day. Is this within the stated limit of 4 sprays per nostril in 24 hours?

Show the answer

Answer: Yes, exactly at the limit

Working: 2 sprays x 2 occasions = 4 sprays per nostril in 24 hours, which equals the stated maximum of 4.

NHS: How and when to use mometasone nasal spray

https://www.nhs.uk/medicines/mometasone-nasal-spray/how-and-when-to-use-mometasone-nasal-spray/

Where marks are lost

  • Applying a per-nostril dose to only one nostril when the question treats both.
  • Mixing the standard limit (2 sprays per nostril in 24 hours) with the nasal polyps limit (4 sprays per nostril in 24 hours).
  • Treating arithmetic as evidence that a real regimen is clinically suitable.

Frequently asked questions

Are these official assessment questions?

No. They are original revision exercises, not official GPhC questions and not for patient care.

Can a spray count justify stepping the dose up or down?

No. Follow the regimen in the exercise. The NHS describes dose reduction after symptoms settle for bought sprays; prescribed changes follow the prescriber.

How should I check the answer?

Check the requested unit, then work backwards from the quantity to the stated dose and duration.

Sources

The questions above are original and use fictional patients and prescriptions. PreRegExamPrep is not affiliated with or endorsed by the General Pharmaceutical Council.

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More calculation topics

See also the formula sheet, the eight sample questions and the approved calculator page.