Dosage help?

Published

Tomorrow is my first day on the unit and today I met with my clinical educator. She gave me a practice packet to take home regarding neonatal dosage, etc. The problem is that the dosage book I have at home doesn't cover neonatal and I never learned how to do this particular problem. I was wondering if someone could help walk me through this?

Part One

Baby W was born at 24 weeks, is now 1 day old, and weighs 600grams She is hypotensive and dopamine has been ordered. How many mg of dopamine are needed in 50cc to make a solution of 0.1ml/hr= 1mcg/kg/min?

Part Two

The pharmacy delivers the dopaine as ordered and the nurse needs to verify that the correct volume of dopamine was added. Using the information from part ONE calculate the volume of dopamine needed if the concentration of dopamine is 40mg/ml. ______ ml.

I'd appreciate it! I seem to be tackling the majority of the others just fine but this one is throwing me.

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in PICU, ICU, Transplant, Trauma, Surgical.

First of all, I must say that NeoFax would not agree w/that dopamine concentration (recc. 2-20 mcg/kg/min), lol. So, I am just a lonely nursing student yet, but know of NeoFax's new web-based drug-dosing website. http://neofax.com/products/WebApp/index.html Check that out, it's free to use it as a guest. (You can plug in pt. weight, drug, dose, conc., rate, IVF, etc. etc. - it's kinda cool)

I wonder if the unit I will be working in will have me do math med questions like this? I apologize I truthfully do not know any type of formula or calculation for this type of problem.

xo, Meg

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in PICU, ICU, Transplant, Trauma, Surgical.

Having read into NeoFax a lil more (I should be studying and not on allnurses.com! - how many times have I said that?), I have a formula for you!

Administration Calculations

To calculate the AMOUNT of drug needed per 50 mL infusion solution:

3 x {desired dose (mcg/kg/min) / desired fluid rate (mL/hr)}x weight (kg) = mg of dopamine b.gif

To calculate the VOLUME of drug needed per 50 mL infusion solution:

mg of drug (found using equation above) / concentration of drug (mg/mL) = mL of dopamine b.gif

Up Vote Up Vote ×

Thank you...I really appreciate it.

I am so lost right now...lol....I was supposed to have my 1rst day on the floor today and my educator AND manager AND preceptor were all absent. So basically they called the manager and she apologized b/c she had no idea and told me to go ahead and take the day off ( grrrr this is $$ I need). The educator was supposed to go over dosage and meds with me, etc with me today.....so I am still trying to fill this packet out and getting even more frustrated with it!!!!!!!!!

But THANK YOU!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Up Vote Up Vote ×

BTW I just wanted to say that I finally re-read your post and saw you are a student? WELL KUDOS TO YOU!!!!!!!!!!!! I have gotten nothing but complete shut out on my unit so far..:o.and I did use the Neofax link you gave me and what a godsend!!!!!!!!!!!!! THANK YOU! You are going to make an amazing nurse....as helpful as you are!!!!!!!!! GOOD LUCK with your future schooling!~~:cheers:

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in PICU, ICU, Transplant, Trauma, Surgical.

Thank you Yes I graduate in 4 months and cannot wait to be a NICU nurse (I am blessed to have a job in place already).

I'm sorry to hear about your unit and orientation, how frustrating! I hope things change, I'm sure they will, sometimes unfortunately it's that new job hump that's so hard to get over.

Good luck to you! Hang in there! :pumpiron:

Up Vote Up Vote ×
+ Join the Discussion