Final answer:
The dosage for the IV medication is calculated as 569.1 mcg/min, and the flow rate to provide this dosage is determined to be 21 mL/hr, both based on the patient's weight and the concentration of the medication solution.
Step-by-step explanation:
The subject of this question is medicine, particularly focusing on dosage calculation and flow rate determination for Intravenous (IV) medication administration, which is a critical skill in nursing and pharmacology. The question involves applying formulae to calculate the drug dosage in micrograms per minute (mcg/min) and the IV fluid flow rate in millilitres per hour (mL/hr).
Calculation of Dosage
The ordered dose is 7 mcg/kg/min for an adult weighing 81.3 kg. Therefore, the dosage in mcg/min is calculated as follows:
7 mcg/kg/min * 81.3 kg = 569.1 mcg/min
This dosage rounds to 569.1 mcg/min, to the nearest tenth.
Calculation of Flow Rate
Since the available solution is 400 mg in 250 mL, first convert 400 mg to mcg:
400 mg = 400,000 mcg
Next, calculate the mcg/mL concentration of the solution:
400,000 mcg / 250 mL = 1600 mcg/mL
Now, find how many mL per minute are needed to deliver 569.1 mcg/min:
569.1 mcg/min / 1600 mcg/mL = 0.3557 mL/min
To convert to mL/hr, multiply by 60:
0.3557 mL/min * 60 min/hr = 21.3 mL/hr
This value rounds to 21 mL/hr to the nearest whole number.