Final answer:
To determine the IV flow rate for ampicillin sodium, you calculate the flow rate in mL/min and multiply by the drop factor. With a volume of 100 mL to be administered over 45 minutes at a drop factor of 10 gtt/mL, the flow rate would be 22 drops per minute after rounding to the nearest whole number, although this answer isn't listed in the options provided.
Step-by-step explanation:
The question involves calculating the flow rate for an ampicillin sodium solution being administered intravenously. To find the flow rate in drops per minute, we use the total volume that needs to be infused and the time over which the infusion must be given. With these, we can determine the appropriate setting for the IV pump.
First, we calculate the flow rate in mL per minute using the formula:
Flow rate (mL/min) = Total volume (mL) / Time (min)
Using the provided values:
Flow rate (mL/min) = 100 mL / 45 min = 2.222 mL/min
Since the delivery rate is 10 drops/mL, we now multiply our flow rate (mL/min) by the drop factor:
Flow rate (drops/min) = Flow rate (mL/min) × Drop factor (drops/mL)
Substitute the known values:
Flow rate (drops/min) = 2.222 mL/min × 10 drops/mL = 22.22 drops/min
Round this to the nearest whole number:
Flow rate (drops/min) = 22 drops/min
This is not among the provided options (a through d), therefore, it's possible there has been a mistake in options selection or a calculation error in the question setup. Nonetheless, based on the calculations with the provided data, setting the flow rate at 22 drops per minute would be appropriate for this scenario.