Final answer:
To calculate the number of drops per minute for a Dopamine drip, you need to determine the total milligrams of Dopamine needed per minute and then convert it to drops.
Step-by-step explanation:
To calculate the number of drops per minute for a Dopamine drip, we need to determine the total milligrams of Dopamine needed per minute and then convert it to drops. First, we need to convert the patient's weight from pounds to kilograms. Since 1 pound is approximately 0.45 kilograms, the patient's weight is approximately 79.55 kg.
Next, we calculate the total milligrams of Dopamine needed per minute. The patient's weight is 79.55 kg, and the desired dose is 5 mcg/kg/min. This means the patient need 5 mcg (0.005 mg) of Dopamine per kilogram of body weight per minute. So, the total dose per minute is 0.005 mg/kg/min x 79.55 kg = 0.39775 mg/min.
Finally, we calculate the number of drops per minute. The mini drip set typically delivers 60 drops per milliliter. If the Dopamine concentration in the 500 cc bag is 400 mg, there are 400,000 mcg in the bag. So, there are 400,000/0.39775 = 1,006,941 drops per minute.