Sorry-help again..

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A client currently receiving an infusion labeled heparin sodium 25,000 units in 5 dextrose injection 50mL at mL / hour. A prescription is received to change the rte of the injection to 900 units of Heparin per hour.The nurse should set the infusion pump to deliver how many mL/ hour

I'm sorry help again I'm lost I

I guess it 20 but i maybe wrong just having a hard time here...can anyone help...:banghead:

I am not a math whiz and can't do math in my head very well-- I learned this method in nursing school and it makes sense to me because I see it all laid out. Watch this video (the whole thing) and hopefully this will help you with these types of problems. If you set them up this way, it doesn't matter how complicated they are, you will always get the right answer and know why.

Specializes in MICU, SICU, CICU.

20u per ml

900u/hr=18 ml/hr

Specializes in Critical Care.

It's usually best to start with figuring out what the concentration of your available medication is, think if this like your decoder ring. The dose of this medication is measured in units, so how many units are there in a given volume of fluid? Then, how many units are there in a single ml? This will give you your concentration in units/ml to use in the next step. And don't forget to also ask yourself if that is a reasonable concentration to be using for a continuous drip.

Specializes in Critical Care, ED, Cath lab, CTPAC,Trauma.

We use the book dosage calculation by Hornvedt. It's the best one I've seen. Easy to follow with step by step explanations. See if you can man a copy of that. Then practice until it's coming out your ears.

You'll get it when you can see where things plug in.

First, find the concentration of your med. Then take the number of units you want, divide it by the number you have on hand, and multiply by the volume to get your answer. This is a standard formula in dosage calculations, by the way, so you should memorize it.

D/H X V = (Desired dose)/(Dose on hand) x Volume

How many units does the doctor want? 900

How many units comes in a bag? 25000

How much volume is in that bag? 50mL (?)

Plug in your numbers and do your math. You need to check your numbers, by the way, heparin doesn't come 25,000u/50mL.

ETA: Never mind. I see you have posted a few simple math questions.

Go learn math. You may need to take a remedial math course. This is basic stuff.

Or, are you getting us to do your homework for you? If so, stop it. You need to learn this stuff so you don't harm a patient. Especially when it comes to drips that can cause your patient to throw a PE or bleed out if managed incorrectly.

Specializes in 15 years in ICU, 22 years in PACU.
ETA: Never mind. I see you have posted a few simple math questions.

Go learn math. You may need to take a remedial math course. This is basic stuff.

You need to learn this stuff so you don't harm a patient. Especially when it comes to drips that can cause your patient to throw a PE or bleed out if managed incorrectly.

(I have edited canigraduate's post a little)

This person has had math calculation difficulties since 2011.

I think this degree of math impairment is beyond our scope of practice.

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