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Is the answer 20 gtt/min?
I have been great at drug calc, but I do problems differently from others; I just use simple logic and not linear algebra like some people do.
If that is correct, I can show you how I did it. It was a question I've never seen before, we dont have that kind of calculations yet, but if I am wrong, Im going to be so embarassed. :chuckle
oooh, good one! Yes, I also got 20 gtt/min.first i figured that it would be 20ml/hr. (I divided the 50mEq and the 100ml by 10, ending up with 5mEq per 10mL, thus getting 20mL/hr. then i set up the problem:
1hr X 20ml X 60gtt = 1200 = 20gtt/min
_____ ____ ____ ____
60min 1hr 1ml 60
That is what I also did (the initial part)
50 mEq / 10 mEq x 1hr = 5 hrs (300 minutes)
Then I did a formula which you use for getting gtt/min.
total volume(mLs) Drops
__________ X ___________ = gtt/min
total Time(mins) 1 milliliter
Dimensional analysis lets you set up the entire problem in one step (dots added for formatting):
100mL...X...10mEq...X...60gtt...X.....1hr ..=..20gtt
50mEq..........1hr...........1mL.........60min.....1min
Notice how each fraction is set up so that all unwanted units cancel each other out and you're left with just the desired units in the answer. You can do this because each 'fraction' is a unity - equal to 1, so it doesn't matter which you put on top and which you put on bottom. This allows you to manipulate them so unwanted units drop out.
thanks everybody this is what i did:50:100=10:x
50x=1000
x=20
but now that looks like 10 mEq/20 mL which is confusing to me. I am just gonna stop thinking about it
this is a made up question by the teacher. all the problems in the book look nothing like this and i can do them with my eyes
No, you're on the right track; the dose is 20mL (which contains 10mEq of KCL), to infuse over 1 hour. This is how it would look using dimensional analysis from this point:
20mL..X..60gtt..X.....1hr......=...20gtt
..1hr........1mL........60min.........1min
order: 50 meq kcl added to 100ml ns at a rate of 10 meq/hr and 60 gtt/ml. what are the gtt/min?
RossayRN
206 Posts
I'm pretty good at doing dosage calculations but this question given in class today has stomped me. The teacher got an answer that I can't seem to get. Can anyone do this problem step by step and maybe I can see what i am missing? Also if possible use formula, ration and porportion. or any method other than scientific, I don't use it and don't like it because I think it takes you through unecessary steps and confuses me.
Order: 50 mEq KCL added to 100mL NS at a rate of 10 mEq/hr and 60 gtt/mL. What are the gtt/min?