A nurse is providing care for a patient who has deep vein thrombosis.

The patient is prescribed heparin, which is to be administered via continuous IV infusion at a rate of 1,200 units/hr. If the available heparin is 25,000 units in 500 mL DSW, how many mL/hr should the IV pump be set to deliver?

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

Choice A rationale

A black pressure ulcer indicates necrotic tissue, which often requires surgical debridement.

Choice B rationale

Increased drainage from the wound is not typically associated with a black pressure ulcer.

Choice C rationale

While documenting the wound status daily is part of wound care, it is not a specific event anticipated when planning care for a patient with a black pressure ulcer.

Choice D rationale

Increased monitoring of the wound condition is part of wound care, but it is not a specific event anticipated when planning care for a patient with a black pressure ulcer.

Choice A rationale

0.9% sodium chloride, also known as normal saline, is an isotonic solution that is commonly used for hydration and to replace lost fluids. However, it does not provide any calories or nutrients, which are necessary for patients receiving TPN1.

Choice B rationale

Dextrose 10% in water (D10W) is the recommended solution to administer until the next TPN solution is available. This is a hypertonic fluid that provides dextrose to the patient, helping to maintain their blood glucose levels and reducing the risk of hypoglycemia.

Choice C rationale

3% sodium chloride is a hypertonic saline solution that is typically used to treat patients with severe hyponatremia (low sodium levels). It is not suitable as a replacement for TPN as it does not provide the necessary nutrients and can lead to hypernatremia (high sodium levels) if used inappropriately.

Choice D rationale

Lactated Ringer’s solution is an isotonic solution that is commonly used for fluid resuscitation in patients with significant fluid loss. While it does contain multiple electrolytes that mimic those found in plasma, it does not provide any calories or nutrients, making it unsuitable as a replacement for TPN1.