Question

During shift report, the nurse states that a patient is receiving an oxytocin drip at 11 milliunits/min. The Oxytocin concentration is 30 units in 500 mL of lactated Ringer's solution. The IV pump should be set for how many milliliters per hour

Answer 1

The IV pump should be set to deliver 11 mL/hour to administer an oxytocin drip of 11 milliunits/min for a concentration of 30 units in 500 mL of lactated Ringer's solution.

Step-by-step explanation:

The student has asked how to set the IV pump when the patient is receiving an oxytocin drip at 11 milliunits/min, with the oxytocin concentration being 30 units in 500 mL of lactated Ringer's. To determine the rate at which the IV pump should be set (in mL/h), we need to use a dosage calculation formula.

To start, let's convert the order from milliunits/minute to units/hour:

• 11 milliunits/min × 60 minutes/hour = 660 milliunits/hour
• 660 milliunits/hour = 0.66 units/hour (since 1 unit = 1000 milliunits)

Currently, we have 30 units of oxytocin in 500 mL, hence for every 1 unit, we have:

• 500 mL / 30 units = 16.67 mL/unit

To find out how many milliliters per hour the IV pump should be set to deliver 0.66 units per hour, we multiply:

• 0.66 units/hour × 16.67 mL/unit = 11 mL/hour

Thus, the IV pump should be set to 11 mL/hour to deliver the prescribed oxytocin dosage.