Final answer:
To calculate the fluid needs for the first 8 hours after a burn using the Parkland formula, convert the patient's weight to kilograms, then multiply by 4 mL and the percentage of body surface area burned. Divide this number by two to find the requirement for the first 8 hours, which for a patient weighing 187 lbs with 38% burns, is 6,460 mL.
Step-by-step explanation:
To calculate the fluid requirement for a patient using the Parkland formula, the following formula is used:
(4 mL × patient's weight in kg × percentage of total body surface area burned) ÷ 2 = Fluid requirement for the first 8 hours
First, we need to convert the patient's weight from pounds to kilograms by dividing by 2.2:
187 lb ÷ 2.2 = ~85.0 kg (rounded to the nearest whole number)
Then, we multiply 4 mL by the patient's weight in kilograms and the percentage of body area burned:
4 mL × 85.0 kg × 38% = 12,920 mL
Finally, we divide this number by 2 to get the fluid requirement for the first 8 hours:
12,920 mL ÷ 2 = 6,460 mL
Therefore, a patient weighing 187 lbs with 38% total body surface area burns should receive 6,460 mL of fluid over the first eight hours after the burn occurred.