nursing math question

Nursing Students Student Assist

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Can someone please show me how to work this problem out.

The answer is 60, but I need to know how the teacher got this

The question is:

1 mg of Isuprel in 500 ml of D5W has been ordered for IV infusion at a rate of 2mcg/min. At how many microdrops per minute should you infuse the IV using a solution administration set that delivers 60 microdrops/ml?

Thanks for your help

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I just set up the equation using dimensional analysis.

Microdrops = 60 microdrops/mL x 500 mL/1mg x 1mg/1,000 mcg X 2mcg/min.

When you multiply 60 x 500 x 1 x 2 = 60,000. Divided by the bottom numbers (1 x 1 x 1000 x 1) = 1,000. 60,000/1,000 = 60 microdrops/min

Did I make it worse or do you see how I got that answer?

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asking for micro gtt / min so start with gtt

60 gtt 500 mL 1 mg 2 mcg 60, 000

_______ X _______ X ________ X ______ = _________ = 60 gtt / min

1 mL 1 mg 1000 mcg 1 min 1,000

cross cancel mL - mg - mcg ...... leaves you with gtt / min

always start with what you're looking for : gtt/min ,first, top, is gtt - then plug in your #s to match the bottom up - ml - ml mg -mg etc...

does that make sense?

I love using the dimensional analysis because it just makes sense to me, takes an extra minute to write it out, but I like it.

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