Need help in OB....Final is tomorrow...

silvienurse · May 2, 2006

Hi

Need help with Pitocin calculations!!!

Please advice how to calculate flow rate, drop factor etc. for pitocin since it's in mU's

I know if the order calls for 4U (Pitocin) then you change that to 4,000mU's (I think) please correct me if that's not right......etc. etc. please show some Pitocin Calculations..........

tinatinabobina · May 3, 2006

Here are some math problems our instructor gave us:

Question 1

The health care provider has ordered a Pitocin drip to be started on your client.

The order reads start Pitocin at 1milliunit per minute and advance as tolerated.

The pharmacy sends you up an IV with D5W 1000ml with 10 units of Pitocin added to the bag. What will you set your IV rate at?

Hints: looking for an answer in ml/hr.

Must convert units to milliunits.

Question 2

A patient with PIH has been admitted to the unit. The physician has ordered a bolus dose of Magnesium 4grams in 20minutes. The pharmacy sends you D5W 1000ml with 40 grams of Magnesium added to the IV bag. What will you set your IV rate to? What is the total volume to be infused?

Hints: ml/hr

Question 3

After the bolus dose of Magnesium has been infused the doctor orders Magnesium 2gms per hour. The pharmacy sends you D5W 1000ml with 40 grams of Magnesium added to the IV bag. What will you set your IV rate to?

I use dimensional analysis (cross-factoring) to figure out my math. Here is how I did these problems:

1. 1000ml/10units X 1unit/1000milliunits X 1milliunit/1minute X 60minute/1hour = 60ml/hr

2. a) 1000ml/40grams X 4grams/20min X 60min/1hr X 300ml/1hr = 300ml/hr

b) 4grams X 1000ml/40grams = 100ml vtbi

3. 1000ml/40grams X 2grams/1hr = 50ml/hr

It seems like the rest of my class uses ratio/proportion, but that gets me too confused. Just remember: Infusion rate is ml/hr. 1000milliunits = 1unit. 60minutes = 1hr. Just work your way down to getting what you are looking for: ml/hr. Hope this helps... good luck on your final! Our OB final is in 3 weeks.

silvienurse · May 3, 2006

Thnaks Tina

That really helps alot; yes it seems everyone in my class does the proportions as well but that only kept me soooo confused.

I like your method much better (once I get it down pat).......do you write everything down at once then work it out as you go across or do you write each individual step down working it out as you go???

What do you think about OB????

Is it HARD!!!!!!

Our exams are horrendous (worst than any of the exams I've taken) thank goodness this is my last semester and final is TOMORROW!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! YES......GOOD LUCK TO YOU in OB.....is this your last semester as well??

tinatinabobina · May 4, 2006

So how did your final go? Hope you owned it!!!

This is our second semester. Still 2 more to go =(. That's awesome! You are just about done!!! I'm doing well in OB but I am not passing pharm... barely borderline under so I am stressing cuz all we have left is the cumulative final.

As for the math problems... I write it all out before I start working it out. I make sure to write hte units so that they can cancel out. Once you cancel the units out, you can write what units you have left in the answer and it should be what you are looking for (ie: ml/hr). Next, I reduce whatever I can from the top and bottom. After that, you just multiply accross. I don't know how to explain it on here. Wish I could show you. I really think it's easier to work the math out this way once you get the hang of it. But since you are already done with the program... you should probably stick to what you already know. *shrug* I think if you do it the ratio/proportion way you have to work out each step before the next, right? Explaining math over the internet is hard lol

silvienurse · May 4, 2006

YAAAAAAAAAAH!!!

I PASSED the OB final!!!!!!! :nurse: now only have ERI'sssssssss and LOTS of them to do not to mention the terrible word of "remediation" with the ERI'sssss (YUCK!!!!!) LOTS of BUZZZZZZZZZZZY work...........but they say "it'll all be worth it in the end when I pass the NCLEX because of all the ERI'sssssss we had to take"; does anyone else out there have to do ERI testing???? If so, what do you think about it???

Thanks for all the PRAYERS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!couldn't have done it without it..........................................BUT........it's not over with yet still got NCLEX to go...but I know I'll make (gotta have FAITH!!!!)...........