A nurse is preparing to infuse 1 liter of 0.9% sodium chloride IV over 8 hr with a tubing set that delivers 15 gtts/mL. The nurse should set the manual IV infusion to deliver how many drops/min? Round the answer to the nearest whole number. Use a leading zero if it applies. Do not use a trailing zero.
The Correct answer and Explanation is:
To calculate the rate at which the nurse should set the manual IV infusion, we need to determine how many drops per minute (gtts/min) will be delivered from the IV setup. The infusion order is for 1 liter of 0.9% sodium chloride (normal saline) to be administered over 8 hours.
Step 1: Convert the volume to milliliters.
1 liter = 1000 milliliters (mL).
Step 2: Convert the infusion time to minutes.
8 hours = 8 × 60 minutes = 480 minutes.
Step 3: Calculate the infusion rate in mL/min.
To find the rate in mL per minute, divide the total volume by the total time in minutes:
[ \text{Infusion rate (mL/min)} = \frac{1000 \text{ mL}}{480 \text{ min}} \approx 2.08 \text{ mL/min} ]
Step 4: Convert the infusion rate to drops per minute (gtts/min).
The IV tubing set delivers 15 drops per mL. To find the rate in drops per minute, multiply the infusion rate in mL/min by the drops per mL:
[ \text{Infusion rate (gtts/min)} = 2.08 \text{ mL/min} \times 15 \text{ gtts/mL} = 31.2 \text{ gtts/min} ]
Step 5: Round the answer to the nearest whole number.
Rounding 31.2 gives us 31 gtts/min.
Final Answer:
The nurse should set the manual IV infusion to deliver 31 gtts/min.
This calculation ensures that the patient receives the prescribed amount of fluid at a safe and controlled rate, which is essential in IV therapy to avoid complications such as fluid overload or underhydration. Accurate drip rate calculations are crucial in clinical practice, reflecting the importance of precision in medication administration and patient care.