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The healthcare provider prescribes ganciclovir 375 mg intravenous (IV) every 12 hour to infuse over 90 minutes. The pharmacy delivers ganciclovir 375 mg in a 150 mL IV bag. How many drops/minute should the nurse regulate the gravity infusion using a drip chamber that delivers 10 drops/mL? (Enter numerical value only. If rounding is required, round to the nearest whole number.)
Answer and Explanation

The Correct Answer is ["17"]

Here's how to calculate the drip rate (drops/minute) for the ganciclovir infusion:

1. We know:

Ganciclovir dose: 375 mg (given)

Infusion bag volume: 150 mL (given)

Infusion time: 90 minutes (given) = 1.5 hours (convert minutes to hours)

Drip chamber calibration: 10 drops/mL (given)

2. We need to find:

Drip rate (drops/minute)

3. Steps:

Calculate the concentration of ganciclovir in the bag (assuming all medication is in the bag):

Concentration (mg/mL) = Dose (mg) / Volume (mL)

Concentration (mg/mL) = 375 mg / 150 mL

Concentration (mg/mL) = 2.5 mg/mL

Calculate the total volume to infuse (considering the prescribed dose):

We already know the volume of the bag (150 mL), but this might contain more volume than needed to deliver the prescribed dose.

Calculate the volume to infuse based on the dose and concentration:

Volume to infuse (mL) = Dose (mg) / Concentration (mg/mL)

Volume to infuse (mL) = 375 mg / 2.5 mg/mL

Volume to infuse (mL) = 150 mL (This confirms that the full bag volume delivers the prescribed dose)

Calculate the infusion rate (mL/hour):

Infusion rate (mL/hour) = Total volume to infuse (mL) / Infusion time (hours)

Infusion rate (mL/hour) = 150 mL / 1.5 hours

Infusion rate (mL/hour) = 100 mL/hour

Calculate the drip rate (drops/minute):

Drip rate (drops/minute) = Infusion rate (mL/hour) x Drip chamber calibration (drops/mL)

Drip rate (drops/minute) = 100 mL/hour x 10 drops/mL

Drip rate (drops/minute) = 1000 drops/hour (convert to minutes)

Drip rate (drops/minute) = 1000 drops/hour / 60 minutes/hour

Drip rate (drops/minute) = 16.67 drops/minute (round to nearest whole number as requested)

Therefore, the nurse should regulate the gravity infusion at approximately 17 drops/minute.


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Related Questions

Correct Answer is ["0.25"]

Explanation

Here's why:

We are given the specific dose of somatropin to administer: 1.25 mg (given).

The volume to be administered depends solely on the prescribed dose and doesn't require the concentration for this case.

Therefore, the nurse should administer 0.25 mL of the reconstituted somatropin solution.

Calculation:

Volume to administer (mL) = Dose (mg) / Concentration (mg/mL)

However, we can rearrange the formula as long as we have the dose and target amount to administer:

Volume to administer (mL) = Dose (mg) / Desired dose (mg/mL)

In this case, the "Desired dose (mg/mL)" represents the concentration we want to administer, which is essentially the prescribed dose (1.25 mg) delivered in one injection.

Volume to administer (mL) = 1.25 mg / 1.25 mg/mL Notice how the concentration units cancel out

Volume to administer (mL) = 0.25 mL (round to nearest hundredth)

Therefore, the nurse should administer 0.25 mL of the reconstituted somatropin solution subcutaneously.

Correct Answer is ["0.4"]

Explanation

Here's how to calculate the volume (mL) of ketorolac the nurse should administer:

1. We know:

Dose of ketorolac to administer: 12 mg (given)

Concentration of ketorolac in the vial: 30 mg/mL (given)

2. We need to find:

Volume to administer (mL)

3. Calculation:

Volume (mL) = Dose (mg) / Concentration (mg/mL)

Volume (mL) = 12 mg / 30 mg/mL

Volume (mL) = 0.4 mL (round to one decimal place as appropriate for medication administration)

Therefore, the nurse should administer 0.4 mL of ketorolac.

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