A nurse is preparing to administer Ringer’s lactate via continuous IV infusion at a rate of 120 mL/hr. The manual IV tubing’s drop factor is 60 gtt/mL. How many gtt/min should the nurse set the manual IV infusion to deliver?

(Round the answer to the nearest whole number. Use a leading zero if it applies. Do not use a trailing zero.)

Step 1: Determine the amount of medication needed. The order is for 20 mEq of potassium chloride. The available amount is 10 mEq/mL.

Step 2: Calculate the volume of medication to administer. Volume = Ordered dose ÷ Available concentration Volume = 20 mEq ÷ 10 mEq/mL = 2 mL So, the nurse should administer 2 mL of potassium chloride suspension.

Choice A rationale

Intussusception is a serious condition in which part of the intestine slides into an adjacent part of the intestine. This “telescoping” often blocks food or fluid from passing through.

Intussusception also cuts off the blood supply to the part of the intestine that’s affected. It can lead to a tear in the bowel (perforation), infection and death of bowel tissue.

Choice B rationale

Wilms’ tumor is a rare kidney cancer that primarily affects children. Also known as nephroblastoma, Wilms’ tumor is the most common cancer of the kidneys in children. Wilms’ tumor most often affects children ages 3 to 4 and becomes much less common after age 52.

Choice C rationale

Pyloric stenosis is a condition that affects infants between birth and 6 months of age and causes forceful vomiting that can lead to dehydration. It’s the second most common reason why newborns have surgery. Pyloric stenosis can be fixed with a surgical procedure called pyloromyotomy.

Choice D rationale

Nephrotic syndrome is a kidney disorder that causes your body to excrete too much protein in your urine. Nephrotic syndrome is usually caused by damage to the clusters of small blood vessels in your kidneys that filter waste and excess water from your blood.