Question

The nurse is caring for a client with pulmonary embolism that is to receive prescribed heparin 25,000 units in 250 ml of normal saline continuous infusion at 15 ml/hr. How many units per hour will the nurse administer to the client?

Answer 1

The nurse will administer 1,500 units of heparin per hour to the client with pulmonary embolism based on the prescribed concentration of 25,000 units in 250 mL and an infusion rate of 15 mL/hr.

Step-by-step explanation:

The question involves calculating the dosage of heparin to be delivered per hour to a client with pulmonary embolism based on the prescribed concentration and the infusion rate. To find the number of units per hour that the nurse will administer, we use the following proportion:

Total units in the IV bag / Total volume of the IV bag = Units per hour / Volume infused per hour

Substituting the given values, we have:

25,000 units / 250 mL = Units per hour / 15 mL/hr

Then, solve for the units per hour, which calculates to:

Units per hour = (25,000 units / 250 mL) * 15 mL/hr = 1,500 units/hr.

Therefore, the nurse will administer 1,500 units of heparin per hour to the client.