Med Math: Drips Question #7
Question
The nurse is caring for a client receiving an infusion of 25,000 units of heparin in 500 mL D5W and is infusing at 32 mL/hr. The physician makes rounds and orders for the flow rate to deliver 1400 units of heparin per hour. How should the flow rate of the current infusion be adjusted?
Answers
- leave the infusion rate alone as it does not need adjusting
- Rationale:
- flow rate should be decreased by 4 mL/hr to new rate of 28 mL/hr
- Rationale:
- flow rate should be increased by 4 mL/hr to new rate of 36 mL/hr
- Rationale:
- flow rate should be stopped for four hours then restarted to 28 mL/hr
- Rationale:
Overview
Explanation
Correct response = 25,000 units/500 mL = 1400 units per hr/ x mL = 700,000/25,000 = 28 mL/hr. The current rate is 32 mL/hr and difference between the current and new ordered rate is 4 mL/hr so decrease the flow rate by 4 mL to reflect 28 mL/hr.
Learning Outcomes
Test Taking Tip