In: Nursing
4. A Physician orders 40 mL of an IV solution containing ampicillin to run in 30 minutes with a microdrop infusion set. This is to be followed by 500 mL of NS to infuse at 50 drops per minute with an infusion set of 20 gtt/mL. a) What is the flow rate for the ampicillin solution? b) What is the total infusion time for the two IV solutions?
4.a) drops per minute = (total volumes × drop factor ) ÷ time in minutes
Total volume = 40ml
Drop factor = 20gtt/ ml
Time = 30minutes
Flow rate = (40 ×20) ÷3 =26.6drops/min
therefore, flow rate of the ampicillin solution = 26.6drops/min
b) infusion time =(total volume to infuse ÷mL per hour being infused)
20drops =1ml
50drops/minute = 2.5ml / minute
Milliliter per hour being infused=2.5ml×60 = 150ml/hr
Infusion time of NS = 500ml÷ 150ml=3hrs +33min
Total infusion time for the two IV solution = (3hrs + 33min) +30 min
= 4hrs+3 minutes