Drug calc question

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My friend got this on her pre-employment meds test, and it has both of us stumped. I even showed it to two people at work and we all came up with the same answer, which is not one of the choices listed.

A nitro drip at 24 mcg/min is ordered. The pharmacy sends a bottle of 250 ml D5W with 8 mg of nitro. The drip factor for the nitro tubing is 60 gtts/ml. What would be the flow rate for this IV?

A) 28 gtts/min

B) 36 gtts/min

C) 43 gtts/min

D) 47 gtts/min

We all came up with 45 gtts/min. What do you get?

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Hmmm... I got the same.

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I didn't try to figure it out, but since so many came up with the same answer, maybe it was a typo on the test.

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Specializes in Family Nurse Practitioner.

Are you sure this was the original problem? I'm also getting 45 which would have me furious if they didn't even offer the correct answer on the stinking test!

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Specializes in Med-Surg, Wound Care.

Yup, 45 works by my calculations!

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Specializes in Emergency & Trauma/Adult ICU.

45 here also ...

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Thanks, guys! After I posted my doc came through here, and he's a whiz at calcs. He got the same answer. I'm going to tell my friend to write it in.

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definitely tell them that the correct answer hasn't been included

I've experienced exam questions that just aren't right

(even in one I answered the wrong answer intentionally, and it marked it right) - my point here - the exam preparers make mistakes too - so tell them!

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yup, 45 here, too. betcha that 43 should have been a 45.....tell'em...

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on the other hand, how is the nitro supplied? having never worked critical care i dont know....is it already in solution, the amount of which would need to be added to the volume? if it comes 1 mg/ml....it would work out to 43 ggts/min......

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on the other hand, how is the nitro supplied? having never worked critical care i dont know....is it already in solution, the amount of which would need to be added to the volume? if it comes 1 mg/ml....it would work out to 43 ggts/min......

there's 8mg in 250ml, or 1 mg/31.25ml (31ml).

leslie

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thanks,.....does it come from manufacturer or mixed in pharmacy?

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