Question

A nurse receives a prescription to increase a procainamide (Pronestyl) IV infusion to 4 mg/min. The IV bag is labeled Pronestyl 2 g in 500 ml D5W. The nurse will adjust the IV pump to what rate?

Answer 1

To deliver the ordered dose of procainamide at 4 mg/min, the nurse must set the IV pump to deliver 1 mL/min, given the concentration of the solution (4 mg/mL).

Step-by-step explanation:

To calculate the new IV pump rate for the procainamide (Pronestyl) infusion, we need to use the following formula:

• Infusion rate (mg/min) = Volume to be infused (mL) * Concentration of drug (mg/mL) / Time of infusion (min)

Given that we need an infusion rate of 4 mg/min and we have a concentration of Pronestyl as 2 g in 500 mL, we first convert 2 grams to milligrams:

2 g = 2000 mg

Now we find the concentration in mg/mL:

2000 mg / 500 mL = 4 mg/mL

The desired infusion rate is 4 mg/min which matches the concentration of 4 mg/mL, therefore:

Infusion rate (4 mg/min) = Volume to be infused (mL) * 4 mg/mL / Time of infusion (min)

To infuse at 4 mg/min using a solution that has 4 mg/mL, we would run the IV at:

1 mL/min

The nurse will adjust the IV pump to 1 mL/min.