Question

A paediatric patient presents to the ER staff and is noted to be dehydrated The ER physician orders an initial IV bolus 20 ml/kg of NSS The patient weighs 33 ibs. What is the initial bolus of NSS?

Answer 1

To calculate the initial IV bolus of NSS for the dehydrated paediatric patient, convert the weight to kilograms and multiply by the ordered amount of fluid per kilogram. The patient weighing 33 lbs requires a 300 ml bolus.

Step-by-step explanation:

The student's question pertains to the calculation of an intravenous (IV) fluid bolus for a paediatric patient who is dehydrated. The physician ordered an initial IV bolus of 20 ml/kg of normal saline solution (NSS). The patient weighs 33 pounds (lbs), which needs to be converted to kilograms (kg) to calculate the bolus. Since 1 kg is approximately 2.2 lbs:

1. Convert the weight from pounds to kilograms: 33 lbs ÷ 2.2 = 15 kg.
2. Multiply the patient's weight in kilograms by the ordered amount of NSS: 15 kg × 20 ml/kg = 300 ml of NSS for the initial bolus.

This calculation provides the necessary information to administer the correct volume for IV rehydration therapy.