Need Help With Critical Care Calculation

[NewTexasRN]

This is the problem: Ordered: 10 mg/kg of Methylprednisolone (Solu-Medrol) IV over 20 minutes. Solution available is Methylprednisolone 1 g in 100 mL of Normal Saline. The patient weighs 154 lbs. What rate (ml/hr) will the IV pump be set at?

Thank You sooooooo much!

[Daytonite, BSN, RN]

ordered: 10 mg/kg of methylprednisolone (solu-medrol) iv over 20 minutes. solution available is methylprednisolone 1 g in 100 ml of normal saline. the patient weighs 154 lbs. what rate (ml/hr) will the iv pump be set at?

iv pumps are always set at ml/hour.

10 mg/20 minutes

(dose desired)

x 154 pounds/2.2 pounds

(weight conversion to kg)

x 100 ml/1 gram

(dose on hand)

x 1 gram/1000 mg

(conversion factor)

x 60 minutes/1 hour

(conversion factor)

=

210 ml/hour

(rate to set the iv pump)

an easier way to do this is to covert the pounds to kg (70 kg). multiply it by the

10 mg/

kg

. that gives you the dose desired (700 mg). your dose on hand is

1 g in 100 ml of normal saline

or

1000 mg in 100 ml of normal saline

. using

dose desired divided by dose on hand multiplied by the amount the dose on hand comes in

formula you get 700mg/1000mg x 100 ml = 70 ml to be given over 20 minutes. since the pump has to be set for one hour, 70 ml/20 minutes =

x

ml/60 minutes. cross multiply to find

x

.

x

=

210 ml

[NewTexasRN]

Thank you sooo much!