Final answer:
To administer 400 ml of an IV solution over 8 hours, the nurse should set the IV pump to deliver at a rate of 50 ml/hr. This is calculated by dividing the total volume by the time.
Step-by-step explanation:
The question provided relates to the calculation of an IV infusion rate, which is a common nursing task within the field of medicine. To find the IV flow rate, we use a simple formula:
Flow rate (ml/hr) = Total volume (ml) ÷ Time (hr)
In this scenario, the total volume of the IV solution is 400 ml, and the medication needs to be administered over 8 hours. To calculate the flow rate in ml/hr, we divide the total volume by the time:
Flow rate = 400 ml ÷ 8 hr = 50 ml/hr
Therefore, the nurse should set the IV pump to deliver 50 ml/hr to administer the dextrose 5% in 0.45% sodium chloride solution at the correct rate.