Question

A heparin infusion is prescribed for a client who weighs 220 pounds. After administering a bolus dose of 80 units/kg, the nurse calculates the infusions rate for the heparin solution at 18 units?kg/hour. The available solution is Heparin Sodium 25,000 Units in 5% Dextrose Injection 250ml. The nurse should program the infusion pump to deliver how many ml/hour?

Answer 1

To administer the correct dose of heparin at 18 units/kg/hour for a patient weighing 220 pounds, the nurse should set the infusion pump to deliver 18 ml/hour, based on the concentration of 100 units/ml in the provided heparin solution.

Step-by-step explanation:

To calculate the infusion rate of heparin for a client who weighs 220 pounds, start by converting the client's weight to kilograms, knowing that 1 kilogram equals 2.2 pounds. The weight in kilograms is therefore 220 pounds divided by 2.2, which equals 100 kg. Next, the infusion rate prescribed is 18 units/kg/hour. For a 100 kg individual, the total units per hour is 18 units/kg/hour multiplied by 100 kg, equating to 1800 units/hour.

Given the supplied concentration of the solution, Heparin Sodium 25,000 Units in 5% Dextrose Injection 250ml, we find the volume of the solution to deliver 1800 units. There are 25,000 units in 250 ml, so the solution has 100 units per ml (25,000 units / 250 ml). Therefore, to deliver 1800 units in one hour, the nurse needs to set the pump at 18 ml/hour (1800 units / 100 units per ml).