All Nurses:Could you please tell me the how to calculate this problem please, I need easy to remember instructions.....thank you in advance.........A septic client with hypotension is being treated with dopamine hydrochloride (Inotropin). The nurse asks a colleague to double-check the dosage that the client is receiving. There are 400 mg of dopamine hydrochloride in 250 ml, the infusion pump is running at 23 ml/hour, and the client weighs 79.5 kg. How many micrograms per kilogram per minute is the client receiving? 0 Likes
Kazza, MSN, RN Specializes in ER, Med/Surg, LTC. Has 10 years experience. Jun 30, 2011 Nevermind, upon reviewing the question, I see where it says to convert to micrograms......getting nervous, testing in a couple of days......:smackingf 0 Likes
shescoolie Specializes in Telemetry, Med-Surg. Jun 30, 2011 HI Kazaa,This is a multistep problem. There are no "easy to remember" instructions for this. You're really going to have to just know your conversions. I am so not sure if I solved it right, but I came up with 7.8mcg/kg/min using rounding rules...my decimal may be alittle off since I rounded. Do you have the answer key? I won't share what I did just in case its wrong. lol Please share the answer if you have it. 0 Likes
shescoolie Specializes in Telemetry, Med-Surg. Jun 30, 2011 *UPDATE*I was so bothered by this problem that I googled it. Turns out someone has asked this same question on allnurses before. It appearantly is an NCLEX 3500 question. Here is the link to where others answered.BTW I was right! :)https://allnurses.com/nclex-discussion-forum/math-time-please-327122.htmlHere's what I did, which is a little diffent from some of the ways listed in the link above.Solve for how many mg per hour infused knowing 400 mg/250ml over a 23 hour period:400mg/250ml=x/23mlGives you 36.8 mg per hourNow convert mg to mcg:36.8mg/1 hour=x mcg/1 hourGives you 36800mcg or 37000 mcg if you round. Lets stick with 36800mcgNow solve for how many of these mcg the patient will get per minute, so 60 minutes in 1 hour:36800mcg/60minutes= 613.3 rounded to whole number 613mcg/minNow we know there are 613mcg infusing per minute on a pt who weighs 79.5kg. Simple divide 613/79.5 to get 7.71 mcg/kg/minHope this makes sense! 0 Likes
Kazza, MSN, RN Specializes in ER, Med/Surg, LTC. Has 10 years experience. Jun 30, 2011 Rationale: First, calculate how many micrograms per milliliter of dopamine hydrochloride are in the bag: 400 mg/250 ml = 1.6 mg/ml. Next, convert milligrams to micrograms: 1.6 mg/ml x 1,000 mcg/mg = 1,600 mcg/ml. Finally, calculate the dose: 1,600 mcg/ml x 23 ml/hour/79.5 kg79.5 kg/60 min/hr = 7.71 mcg/kg/min. Thank you Shescoolie and Hooter44............. 0 Likes
shescoolie Specializes in Telemetry, Med-Surg. Jun 30, 2011 You're welcome! YOUR way is soooo much easier! lol 0 Likes
Kazza, MSN, RN Specializes in ER, Med/Surg, LTC. Has 10 years experience. Jun 30, 2011 Thanks Shescoolie, I do believe I prefer your explanation better, much easier to remember.......I had just completely ignored the last part of the question and ignored where it said convert to micrograms.......:) 0 Likes
brownsugar40 Apr 10, 2012 Kazza hello, I did not recieve disc could u try to resend my address is 170 cotton bayou ln monroe la 71202 0 Likes
Kazza, MSN, RN Specializes in ER, Med/Surg, LTC. Has 10 years experience. Apr 11, 2012 Send me your name and address again, I did send it to you, I was wondering why you never sent a message to say thank you. No problem......... 0 Likes