Answer:
Step-by-step explanation:
The health care provider has prescribed 1000 ml of normal saline 0.45% for infusion over 8 hours. Normal saline solution is a type of intravenous (IV) fluid that helps to restore fluid balance in the body. The concentration of the solution is expressed as 0.45%, which means that it contains 0.45 grams of sodium chloride in each 100 ml of fluid.
The drop factor is a measure of how many drops are needed to deliver a certain volume of fluid. In this case, the drop factor is 10 gtt/ml, which means that each milliliter of fluid is delivered through the IV tubing as 10 drops.
To determine the number of drops per minute, we need to know the volume of fluid that should be infused over 8 hours and the time in minutes. We can then use the formula:
Drops per minute = (Volume in ml) ÷ (Time in minutes) ÷ (Drop factor)
First, we'll convert the 8 hours into minutes: 8 hours * 60 minutes/hour = 480 minutes
Next, we'll calculate the volume in ml: 1000 ml
Finally, we'll plug in the values into the formula:
Drops per minute = (1000 ml) ÷ (480 minutes) ÷ (10 gtt/ml) = 2.083 drops/minute
Therefore, the nurse should set the flow rate at approximately 2.083 drops per minute. This means that the IV tubing will deliver approximately 2.083 drops of fluid per minute, which will allow the 1000 ml of normal saline 0.45% to be infused over the course of 8 hours as prescribed by the health care provider.
It's important to note that this calculation is an estimate and the actual flow rate may vary slightly depending on the size and length of the IV tubing, the patient's fluid needs, and other factors. The nurse should monitor the patient's response to the infusion and adjust the flow rate as necessary to ensure safe and effective treatment.