Med Math Help. mcg/min

yup the weight is/was thrown in as a confuser.......we agree on the answer. Daytonite is the usual expert here.....she, hopefully, will be along to check us both....lol

Morte, thank you so much for taking a look. I just needed to know if my way of thinking was correct.

You check the IV fluids running into the patient and see the nitroglycerin (50 mg/ 250ml D5W in a glass bottle) is running at 15 ml/hr. The patient weighs 80 kg. What is the dose the patient is receiving in mcg/min ?

Now, I am not asking anyone to do my homework for me I just need someone to tell me if I am heading into the right direction. Our pharm class leaves something to be desired and unfortunately the students are the ones paying for it.

I will tell you what I do know:

Nitroglycerin is not a weight based drug according to Mosby's Drug Guide, Davis Drug Guide and anywhere else I have looked, so I have no idea what the patients weight has to do with anything.

If there are 50mg in 250ml then it would make sense that there is 50,000mcg/250ml. Am I on the right track?

If I divide then I get 200mcg/ml?

If the patient is on 15ml/hr then: 200mcg/ml X 15ml/hr X 1hr/60min = 50mcg/min

Please help me figure out if this is correct or am I way off?

I used to love math, but thanks to the lack of direction in the class, I am really beginning to hate it.

Thank you.

You're not lacking knowledge or skill, you're lacking self-confidence.

You've got the idea and you've got this problem.

Good job!

Edit: BTW, here's a HUGE pat on the back for posting your work and asking for validation rather than the usual situation where students are just looking for answers.

Can anyone suggest a book that will help me overlook what is extraneous info and practice these types of problems? Many books start out way too basic and have few IV drip, or more complicated math problems.

Thanks all

Can anyone suggest a book that will help me overlook what is extraneous info and practice these types of problems? Many books start out way too basic and have few IV drip, or more complicated math problems.

Thanks all

I don't know of a book, but I always go through the problem and underline my "pairs" to set up my problem...that general shows you what is extra unnecessary info.

What do you mean by pairs?

What do you mean by pairs?

The information you pick out to put above and below in a dimensional analysis problem like how many mg of medicine are in the mL of fluid in the IV bag and your conversion factors...

Oh, ok I get it.

Thanks

A book you might consider is

Math for Nurses - a pocket guide to dosage calculation and drug preparation.

Clinical Calculations - with applications to general and specialty areas

you check the iv fluids running into the patient and see the nitroglycerin (50 mg/ 250ml d5w in a glass bottle) is running at 15 ml/hr. the patient weighs 80 kg. what is the dose the patient is receiving in mcg/min ?

mcg/min= 1000mcg/1mg x 50mg/250ml x 15ml/1hr x 1hr/60min = 750,000/15,000 = 50mcg/min

here is a dimensional analysis breakdown of the problem. yes the weight is "extra" info to confuse you.

hope this helps.