A premature infant with a birth weight of 1,200 grams is receiving beractant 120 mg intratracheal every 6 hours. Single use vials of beractant are labeled, “100 mg/4 mL.” How many mL should the nurse administer? (Enter the numerical value only. If rounding is required, round to the nearest tenth.)
The correct answer and Explanation is :
To determine how many milliliters (mL) of beractant should be administered, follow these steps:
Step-by-Step Calculation:
- Determine the dosage concentration:
The vial of beractant is labeled as “100 mg/4 mL”. This means there are 100 mg of beractant in every 4 mL of solution. - Calculate the concentration per mL:
To find out how many milligrams are in each mL, divide the total milligrams by the total volume in mL.
[
\text{Concentration per mL} = \frac{100 \text{ mg}}{4 \text{ mL}} = 25 \text{ mg/mL}
] - Determine the required dosage:
The prescribed dose is 120 mg. - Calculate the volume needed for the prescribed dose:
To find out how many mL of the solution contains 120 mg, use the concentration calculated:
[
\text{Volume needed (mL)} = \frac{\text{Prescribed Dose (mg)}}{\text{Concentration (mg/mL)}} = \frac{120 \text{ mg}}{25 \text{ mg/mL}} = 4.8 \text{ mL}
]
So, the nurse should administer 4.8 mL of the beractant solution.
Explanation:
Beractant is a surfactant used to treat respiratory distress syndrome in premature infants by helping to reduce surface tension in the lungs and improve lung function. Each vial has a specific concentration, which is essential for accurate dosing. In this case, knowing the concentration (100 mg in 4 mL) allows us to determine how much of the solution is needed to provide the required 120 mg dose.
By dividing the total dose needed by the concentration per mL, we can figure out the exact volume of the solution that contains the required amount of medication. This ensures the infant receives the correct amount of beractant for effective treatment and optimal outcomes.