Hey. So, I failed my Drug Calc Level 2 proficiency exam. Sigh.
We were given a packet to study for the retest in a few weeks. I'm looking it over and I have NO idea how to figure one of the calculations. I'm not looking at allnurses.com for the answer, as I have it already. I'm looking to understand how to get it.
Order: Dopamine 26gtts/min
Available: 800mg/500mL
Patient weight: 220lbs
What is the dose being delivered? _____mcg/kg/min
The answer is 6.9mcg/kg/min is the answer and I have NO idea how to even start this thing or where to even begin. Can anyone out there help me? Or even just point me in the right direction on how to figure this thing out...?
The drop factor is 60 gtts/mL. The formula to determine a weight based infusion, dosed per minute, is (dose × weight × 60) ÷ concentration. When I substitute the values that you provided to determine the infusion rate, the answer is 25.875 (26) mL/hour. Your infusion is infusing 26 gtts/minute. If you are using a 60 gtt/mL infusion set, gtts/minute equals mL/hour.
Re-work the problem using a 60 gtt/mL drop factor and I think that your answer will be correct.
Ah. Yes. It worked using the 60gtt/min drop factor = 0.43mL! Chare, thank you so, so much for your patience, help and not making me feel like a complete moron. I have no idea how I was expected to work out that problem without them giving me the drop factor, but even if they did I still wouldn't have known where to start. I truly appreciate you showing me the formula and providing an example. You've really helped alleviate a lot of my anxiety and helped me to figure out how to conquer the other practice questions in this remediation packet.
Can anyone out there help me? Or even just point me in the right direction on how to figure this thing out...?
chare
4,372 Posts
The drop factor is 60 gtts/mL. The formula to determine a weight based infusion, dosed per minute, is (dose × weight × 60) ÷ concentration. When I substitute the values that you provided to determine the infusion rate, the answer is 25.875 (26) mL/hour. Your infusion is infusing 26 gtts/minute. If you are using a 60 gtt/mL infusion set, gtts/minute equals mL/hour.
Re-work the problem using a 60 gtt/mL drop factor and I think that your answer will be correct.