Order: Levaquin 350 mg is added to 500 mL D5W to infuse over 8 hours. Drop factor: 10 gtt/mL. For IV reconstitute with 1o mL. of diluent to get 100 mg per 10 mL. (Consider the medication added in the volume of fluid.) Calculate the rate in gtt/min at which the IV should infuse

A) Infections become resistant to high doses of antibiotics:
Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) is a strain of Staphylococcus aureus that has become resistant to the antibiotic methicillin, as well as other beta-lactam antibiotics (such as penicillin and cephalosporins). Over time, bacteria can develop resistance mechanisms, often as a result of antibiotic misuse or overuse, such as not completing a full course of treatment or using antibiotics unnecessarily. MRSA, in particular, can grow resistant to higher and higher doses of standard antibiotics, making treatment more challenging.

B) Antibiotic dosages below the minimum concentration are prescribed:
Antibiotic dosages should always be prescribed at the minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC), which is the lowest concentration of the drug that can inhibit bacterial growth. Prescribing antibiotics below this concentration would not be effective in treating the infection and could contribute to antibiotic resistance.

C) Antibiotics are prescribed only when a viral infection is present:
Antibiotics, including those prescribed for MRSA, are only effective against bacterial infections, not viral infections. For viral infections (such as the flu or common cold), antibiotics should not be used, as they are ineffective. MRSA is a bacterial infection, and it requires appropriate antibiotic therapy specifically targeted to the bacteria, not a viral infection.

D) Broad-spectrum antibiotics are used whenever possible:
While broad-spectrum antibiotics are sometimes used in initial treatments when the specific bacterial pathogen is unknown, their overuse can contribute to the development of antibiotic resistance. In the case of MRSA, a more targeted approach with antibiotics specifically effective against resistant strains (like vancomycin or clindamycin) is preferred.

Given:

Volume of fluid: 50 mL

Infusion time: 1 hour (60 minutes)

Drop factor: 15 gtt/mL

Formula:

Flow rate (gtt/min) = (Volume (mL) / Time (min)) x Drop factor (gtt/mL)

Step 1: Calculate the infusion rate in mL/min:

Infusion rate (mL/min) = Volume (mL) / Time (min)

Infusion rate (mL/min) = 50 mL / 60 min

Infusion rate (mL/min) = 0.83 mL/min

Step 2: Calculate the flow rate in gtt/min:

Flow rate (gtt/min) = Infusion rate (mL/min) x Drop factor (gtt/mL)

Flow rate (gtt/min) = 0.83 mL/min x 15 gtt/mL

Flow rate (gtt/min) = 12.5 gtt/min

Step 3: Round to the nearest whole number:

Flow rate (gtt/min) ≈ 13 gtt/min