Dosage Calculation-Please help!

[preepgirl101]

I am having difficulty with these two types of dosage calculations involving boluses in IVs. I think I may be overthinking it. But any help would be appreciated!!

1. Infuse 1000 mL of D5W.

The infusion set delivers 12 gtt/mL.

Give 400 mL bolus dose over first 15 minutes and then infuse at 125 mL/hr.

What should the rate of infusion (in mL/hr) be set to during the first 15 minutes?

2. Infuse 1000 mL of D5W.

The infusion set delivers 12 gtt/mL.

Give 400 mL bolus dose over first 15 minutes and then infuse at 125 mL/hr.

What should the rate of infusion (in mL/hr) be after the bolus dose?

[Yogsdaleo,RN]

How are you setting up the problem??

[preepgirl101]

For the first problem wouldn't it be 400\(15/60) = 100 ml/hour

then the second problem would just be 125ml/hour as stated?

[NICUismylife, ADN, BSN, RN]

For the first problem wouldn't it be 400\(15/60) = 100 ml/hour

then the second problem would just be 125ml/hour as stated?

At 100 ml/hr, it will take 4 hours to infuse the 400mls. You just did the problem backwards. It would be 1600 ml/hr.

And yes, the second problem doesn't require any math.

[NICUismylife, ADN, BSN, RN]

After you solve any problem, always ask yourself "does this answer make sense?" If you have to get 400 mls into a patient in 15 minutes, looking at your answer, you have to know that 100ml/hr doesn't make sense.