Question

The nurse has a prescription to administer vasopressin (Pitressin) to a pediatric patient for gastrointestinal hemorrhage. The dose prescribed is 0.003 units/kg/min. The patient's weight is 55 lb. What is the correct infusion rate for vasopressin?

Answer 1

To find the vasopressin infusion rate, convert the patient's weight to kilograms and multiply by the prescribed dose to calculate 0.07482 units/min.

Step-by-step explanation:

The calculation of the correct infusion rate for vasopressin involves converting the patient's weight from pounds to kilograms and then applying the prescribed dose. First, convert the patient's weight: 55 lb to kg (1 kg = 2.20462 lb). The patient weighs 55 lb / 2.20462 = 24.94 kg approximately. Next, calculate the total dose per minute: 0.003 units/kg/min * 24.94 kg = 0.07482 units/min. This is the correct infusion rate for the patient.