Help!! Math Question

Nursing Students General Students

Published

ok... this was the question on my final exam- you have to give 1000mL over 24 hrs- how many mL/hr? so i did the math 1000/24= 41.66 now I know to round up to 42... so 42ml/hr But..... as I was thinking about it and as I checked my answer my doing 42x24=1008 so if 42 was right wouldn't the bag run on empty causing air to go in the line? So I put on the test 41 which they graded wrong. 41mL/hr would not cause the bag to run on empty and it would not cause air to go in the line- so wouldnt have to prime it either

Any ideas if I may be correct?

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in Clinicals in Med-Surg., OB, CCU, ICU.

Your first answer would be correct. With the second answer, you are thinking too much. No where in the question does it suggest to avoid getting air in the line. :lol2:

Up Vote Up Vote ×

I would have put 42 and left it at that. I have the same problem you do... thinking too much into the question. My professors catch me doing it all the time and have to stop me before I get carried away!

Up Vote Up Vote ×

is there any way to argue this? I need this question to be right. what could I say to make it right?

Up Vote Up Vote ×

Sorry, but I don't think you can argue for 41/hr. 42/hr would be correct depending on the pump...they're right, it doesn't say anything about avoiding air in the line because you can just get new tubing the next day. If anything, you might have been able to leave it at 41.7 and come out at 1000.8 after 24 hours since some pumps can be programmed to the tenths. You WAY over thought that one

Up Vote Up Vote ×

honestly, i think it depends on ur schools rounding rules. Take a close look at them. My SON rules were to round to the hundredths, unless calculating a manual drip ofcourse, which would make the correct answer 41.67 mL/hr...weird yes i know the only pumps ive ran across that goes to the hundreths are in PICU. Never the less, all facilities use different rounding rules.

Up Vote Up Vote ×

you needed to remember that this was strictly a MATH question......if you are to round, than you round.

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in L&D/Maternity nursing.

the answer is 42 ml/hr for the reasons the others have pointed out. Its just a math problem, dont think of it as anything more than that.

However, in the real world though, I would have ran the pump at 42ml/hr with a total volume of 750ml-800mls so that the pump signals and needing a new bag of fluids well before the bag is empty. My clinical instructors always said that was a good trick so that you don't let the IV run dry and get air in the line.

Up Vote Up Vote ×
+ Add a Comment