Question

A nurse is preparing to administer esmolol 50 mcg/kg/min by continuous IV infusion for a client who weighs 67 kg. Available is esmolol 2,500 mg in 250 ml dextrose 5% in water (D5W). The nurse should set the IV pump to deliver how many ml/hr?

Answer 1

To administer esmolol 50 mcg/kg/min for a 67 kg patient with a concentration of 2,500 mg in 250 mL, the nurse should set the IV pump to approximately 20.1 mL/hr.

Step-by-step explanation:

The question involves calculating the IV infusion rate for administering esmolol to a client. To find the correct infusion rate in mL/hr, one must use the given dosage in mcg/kg/min, the patient's weight in kg, and the concentration of the medication available. The steps include converting the mcg to mg, multiplying by the patient's weight, and then adjusting for the concentration of the medication.

First, calculate the total dosage per minute in mg/min:
50 mcg/kg/min × 67 kg = 3350 mcg/min = 3.35 mg/min

Next, determine how many mg are in each mL of the available solution:
2500 mg in 250 mL = 10 mg/mL

Finally, find the infusion rate in mL/hr by dividing the dosage per minute by the concentration and converting to hours:
3.35 mg/min ÷ 10 mg/mL = 0.335 mL/min × 60 min/hr = 20.1 mL/hr