Fun mEq Problem for you Math Junkies!

**NICU Guy, BSN, RN** · Feb 13, 2018

my guess is 8.3%

bjwojcik · Feb 13, 2018

Hum, that is very close. Did you really just guess or work it out?

-Brad

**NICU Guy, BSN, RN** · Feb 13, 2018

2500 X.1=250

250/2= 125

125/1500=.083333

then I found this: 0.9% Sodium Chloride Injection, USP contains 9 g/L Sodium Chloride (sodium chloride (sodium chloride injection) injection) , USP (NaCl) with an osmolarity of 308 mOsmol/L (calc). It contains 154 mEq/L sodium and 154 mEq/L chloride.

so that would mean 154/9= 17.1 in .1% Na Cl or 1710 mEq in 10% NaCl (1L)

2.5x 1710=4275 mEq

4275/2=2137.5

Can't find the normal mEq in Mag Sulfate

bjwojcik · Feb 13, 2018

You got the correct number of mEq of MgS04. I will see if anyone else wants to try before I post the answer.

-Brad

bjwojcik · Feb 14, 2018

The answer is attached in the PDF.

-Brad

mEq Problem for AN.pdf

KrCmommy522, BSN, RN · Feb 14, 2018

You have 2.5 L of 10% NaCl solution and your friend has 1.5 L of MgSO4 solution. You have twice as many mEq of NaCl as your friend has of mEq of MgSO4. What is the percentage strength of your friend's MgSO4?

First, you need to find how many mEq of NaCl you have:

[ATTACH=CONFIG]26109[/ATTACH]

You have twice as many mEq of NaCl as your friend has of mEq of MgSO4. So, you take mEq of NaCl and divide by 2 to get mEq of MgSO4

4,723.5 mEq of NaCl/2 = 2,136.8 mEq of MgSO4.

Now, you need to change 2,136.8 mEq of MgSO4 to grams.

MgSO4 mg/mmol:1 Mg (24.3 x 1) + 1 S (32.1 x 1) + 4 O (16 x 4) = 120.4 mg/mmol

MgSO4 mEq/mmol[/u: Mg and SO4 each have 2 charges = 2 mEq/mmol

[ATTACH=CONFIG]26110[/ATTACH]

Now, percent of solution is g/mL. We know how many L of MgSO4 my friend has (1.5 L). We know how many g of MgSO4 my friend has (128.6 g). We need to change L to mL, and convert into percentage strength.

[ATTACH=CONFIG]26111[/ATTACH]

The percentage strength of my friend's MgSO4 is 8.6%

This is thanks to a little help from your book bjwojcik!! ?