Question

The patient weighs 46 kg and has an order for 210 mcg of medicine to be infused in 63 mL of IV solution. The drop rate is 10 gtts/min with tubing delivering 20 gtts/mL. How many mcg/kg/min will the patient receive? Please show your work. Thank you.

a) 75 mcg/kg/min

b) 60 mcg/kg/min

c) 90 mcg/kg/min

d) 105 mcg/kg/min

Answer 1

To find the mcg/kg/min that the patient will receive, we need to calculate the total amount of medicine in mcg and divide it by the patient's weight and the time in minutes. Finally, we divide the total mcg by the patient's weight and the time in minutes to find the mcg/kg/min.

Step-by-step explanation:

To find the mcg/kg/min that the patient will receive, we need to calculate the total amount of medicine in mcg and divide it by the patient's weight and the time in minutes.

First, we need to convert 63 mL of IV solution to drops. Since the tubing delivers 20 gtts/mL, we can calculate the total drops using the formula: 63 mL * 20 gtts/mL = 1260 gtts.

Next, we calculate the total amount of medicine in mcg by multiplying the order of 210 mcg by the number of drops: 210 mcg * 1260 gtts = 264,600 mcg.

Finally, we divide the total mcg by the patient's weight of 46 kg and the time in minutes (10 gtts/min) to find the mcg/kg/min: 264,600 mcg / 46 kg / 10 min = 575.217 mcg/kg/min.

Therefore, the patient will receive approximately 575 mcg/kg/min of medicine.