Question

The nurse prepares to start a heparin drip for a client. The infusion prescribed is 25,000 units of heparin per 500 mL of normal saline. The nurse has a 20 mL - multi-dose vial of heparin laboled 5,000 units per mL. How many mL. of heparin does the nurse add to the 500 mL bag of normal saline? Round to a whole number.

Answer 1

Step-by-step explanation:

To determine how many milliliters (mL) of heparin the nurse should add to the 500 mL bag of normal saline, we need to calculate the total number of units of heparin required and then convert it to milliliters based on the concentration of the heparin vial.

Given:

Infusion prescribed: 25,000 units of heparin per 500 mL of normal saline

Concentration of heparin in the vial: 5,000 units per mL

Size of the heparin vial: 20 mL

To calculate the total number of units of heparin required for the 500 mL bag, we can use the following proportion:

25,000 units / 500 mL = x units / 1 mL

Cross-multiplying, we have:

25,000 units * 1 mL = 500 mL * x units

Simplifying:

25,000 units = 500x units

Dividing both sides by 500:

25,000 / 500 = x

x = 50 units

Therefore, the nurse needs to add 50 units of heparin to the 500 mL bag of normal saline.

To determine the corresponding volume in milliliters based on the concentration of the heparin vial, we can use the following equation:

Volume (mL) = Units / Concentration (units/mL)

Volume (mL) = 50 units / 5,000 units/mL

Volume (mL) = 0.01 mL

Rounded to a whole number, the nurse should add 0.01 mL (or approximately 0.1 mL) of heparin from the 20 mL vial to the 500 mL bag of normal saline.