Final answer:
The nurse should set the infusion pump to infuse 7 mL/hour to deliver the prescribed rate of insulin for a 154-pound client with diabetic ketoacidosis.
Step-by-step explanation:
The question involves calculating the correct dosage of insulin per hour for a 154-pound client with diabetic ketoacidosis. The prescribed rate is 0.1 units/kg/hour.
To find the appropriate infusion pump setting in mL/hour, we first convert the patient's weight from pounds to kilograms. Recognizing that 1 kg equals 2.2 pounds, we have:
- 154 pounds / 2.2 = 70 kg (patient's weight in kilograms)
Next, we use the prescribed rate to calculate the total units of insulin required per hour:
- 0.1 units/kg/hour x 70 kg = 7 units/hour
To find the infusion pump setting, we must consider the insulin concentration in the IV solution, which is 100 units in 100 mL. This gives us a ratio of 1 unit/mL. Thus, for 7 units/hour, we need:
- 7 units x 1 mL/unit = 7 mL/hour
The nurse should, therefore, set the infusion pump to infuse 7 mL/hour for the client to receive the correct dosage of insulin.