Math Question Doesn't Make Sense To Me - Help Please!

Daytonite, BSN, RN · Jan 16, 2009

an iv bag contains heparin 25,000 units / 500 ml nacl 0.9%. the current flow rate is 20 ml/hr. you are to increase the infusion rate by 200 units/hr. what is the new iv flow rate? _____________ ml/hr?

first, you need to determine, what your current dose (units/hour) is at the 20 ml/hour infusion rate.

25,000 units/500 ml

(dose on hand)

x 20 ml/hour

(current flow rate)

=

1,000 units/hour

(current dose that the patient is receiving)

now, increase that dose by 200 units per hour to get the new hourly dose. so, the units/hour that patient is to receive will be 1,200 units/hour. recalculate the flow rate (infusion rate) based upon the fact that the iv bag contains 25,000 units/500 ml.

1,200 units/hour

(dose desired)

x 500 ml/25,000 units

(dose on hand)

=

24 ml/hour

(infusion rate)

(

note:

this kind of problem is based in actual common practice. doctors will order continuous iv heparin as units/hour and we have to calculate the ml/hour that these infusions need to infuse based on what the concentration of heparin is in the iv solution that is hanging.)

Heloisea3 · Jan 16, 2009

Thank you so much, Daytonite! Everything makes so much more sense when you explain it! Thank you, thank you, thank you!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!