Need help with this dosage calculation.

***The nurse checks the physican order that reads: Ancef 500 mg q 6 hours. The premixed solution from the medication room contains is labeled: Ancef 0.5 gm in 100 ml solution to be infused over 30 minutes. The nurse is administering the IVPB using an electronic delivery device or infusion pump . At what rate would the nurse infuse the solution?***

The first thing to do is ask yourself what the question is asking you for...

The question is asking you to figure the rate you will infuse the solution. The 500 mg of Ancef ( 0.5 gm of Ancef) is not important to solving the problem.

To solve it you need to look at the 100 ml which needs to infuse in 30 minutes.

I set up my problems using ratio and proportion:

100 ml/ 30 min = x ml/ 60 min

Cross multiply and divide and you get 200 ml/hour

I'm not the best at explaining things over the internet, but if you have questions in the future you can PM me or contact some of the others who explain math a little better than i do. Good luck!

I think you explained it perfectly!

The above poster has it right :) The important thing to remember with IV pumps is the rate is always programmed in mL/hour.

Thank you so much!

Also, another question regarding infusion pumps... I know you can round to the tenths place, but that is only if a medication is added to the solution, right? If the situation doesnt involve a medication, you would just round to the whole number..... Am i right? If not please correct me.

ah... nevermind...