Please Help:Dosage calculation problem

After your patient had recieved 700 mL of the above (#1), the order was changed to give the remaining IV at 75cc/hr, using a pedi-drip. What would be the flow rate?

Amount to be given: 300cc (not a significant fact to calculate the answer)

Rate: 75cc/hr

pedi-drip factor: 60gtts/min

The flow rate will be 75cc/hr. or 75 gtts/min.

It will take 4 hours to infuse the remaining volumn.

Yes, it is correct. The doctor said to give the remaining amount of fluid at 75cc/hr. It doesn't matter how much fluid is left. Your rate of infusion is going to be 75cc/hr.--period. A pedi-drip delivers 60gtts/cc. So, if you are giving 75cc/hr. you are going to set the drip rate of pedi-tubing at 75 gtts/min. In one hour, or 60 minutes, you will have given 75 cc's. 75 pedi gtts/min is 1.25ml (cc) per minute. 1.25 ml x 60 min. = 75 ml/ 60 min or 75ml/hr.

i am setting up an equation that uses ratios as a way to cancel out labels on the numbers in order to get to the final desired answer which will contain the labels "drops/minute". it is called dimentional analysis. if you write the problem out you will see that the labels "hours" and "cc's" cancel out because they are in both the numerator and denominator of these fractions so that what you are left with is the numbers (which you do the math on) and the final label "drops/minute".

here are some links to help explain iv pharmacology math for you. you need to find as many iv problems as you can, or create your own by changing the numbers in the problems you already have, and practice, practice, practice until you understand how to work these problems.

http://go.dbcc.edu/hhps/nursing/nur_1201_nur_1260c_nur1213.html - a wonderful site for practice problems with answers on iv calculations from daytona beach community college nursing department. just click on the links provided and knock yourself out!

http://go.dbcc.edu/hhps/nursing/iv_titration_worksheet.html

http://www.indstate.edu/mary/tutorial.htm - here is a page that explains how dimensional analysis is used to set up and solve nursing math problems. by clicking of the "nursing math" link you will be taken to another page of links to tutorials on nursing math subjects. there are two tutorials on "iv drips" and "iv complex" that you might want to check out. just keep clicking on the links to get to more and more information.

http://www.accd.edu/sac/nursing/math/ivprob.html - a tutorial on calculating drip iv drip rates. at the same web site is another iv quiz in a multiple choice form.

http://www.accd.edu/sac/nursing/math/phiv.htm when you chose the correct answer, a brief message appears in a box at the top of the page with how the equation is set up to get the correct answer.

http://www-isu.indstate.edu/mary/tutorial.htm - from the indiana state university a "basics" page on medication math with explanations on how to do a number of different types of medications problems (including iv problems), conversions and dimensional analysis with links to lots of practice quizzes.

http://www.geocities.com/heartland/valley/3049/iv/clcltns.html - a quiz of 8 iv calculation questions with pictures and answers. the answers show you exactly how to set up the equations to solve the problems.

i ran across this little gem while i was cleaning up one of my files. you definitely want to bookmark this site. i suggest you input the information from this iv drip rate problem you have posted here to verify that you have the correct answers. these calculators really work and are accurate!

http://www.manuelsweb.com/nrs_calculators.htm - oh, what a find this is! you can now double-check your pencil on paper drug calculation with this handy tool! these are on-line working calculators to solve nursing math problems with formulas and examples included to show you how each calculator works. you can work problems for oral and iv medications.