A physician ordered Reglan (metoclopramide) 10 mg to be mixed with 50 mL normal saline and infused over 15 minutes. A nurse must set the IV pump to deliver the medication per mL/hr as ordered.
At what rate should the solution be administered?
A.
200 mL/hr
B.
100 mL/hr
C.
50 mL/hr
D.
300 mL/hr
E.
300 mL/hr
The Correct answer and Explanation is:
To determine the rate at which the solution should be administered, we need to first calculate the total volume to be infused and the time over which it will be infused.
Given:
- Total Volume = 50 mL of normal saline (NS) + 10 mg of Reglan (this is mixed with the saline, but for the volume calculation, we consider only the saline)
- Total Volume to Infuse = 50 mL
- Time for Infusion = 15 minutes
Steps to Calculate the Rate:
- Convert Time to Hours: Since the infusion rate is typically expressed in mL/hr, we convert 15 minutes to hours:15 minutes=1560=0.25 hours15 \text{ minutes} = \frac{15}{60} = 0.25 \text{ hours}15 minutes=6015=0.25 hours
- Calculate the Infusion Rate: To find the infusion rate (in mL/hr), we use the formula:Infusion Rate (mL/hr)=Total Volume (mL)Time (hr)\text{Infusion Rate (mL/hr)} = \frac{\text{Total Volume (mL)}}{\text{Time (hr)}}Infusion Rate (mL/hr)=Time (hr)Total Volume (mL)Substituting the values we have:Infusion Rate=50 mL0.25 hr=200 mL/hr\text{Infusion Rate} = \frac{50 \text{ mL}}{0.25 \text{ hr}} = 200 \text{ mL/hr}Infusion Rate=0.25 hr50 mL=200 mL/hr
Conclusion:
The nurse should set the IV pump to deliver the medication at 200 mL/hr.
Explanation of Answer Choices:
- A. 200 mL/hr: This is the correct answer based on our calculations.
- B. 100 mL/hr: This rate would not adequately deliver the entire volume within the prescribed time.
- C. 50 mL/hr: This would take too long (1 hour) to administer the 50 mL.
- D. 300 mL/hr: This would infuse too quickly and may cause complications or discomfort.
- E. 300 mL/hr: Again, this is too fast and not necessary for the medication delivery.
Thus, the correct rate for administering the solution is 200 mL/hr.