Deck 10: Basic Intravenous Calculations

Question 1

If an IV solution,medicated or unmedicated,falls behind or gets ahead of the ordered schedule,what should and shouldn't the nurse do? What are some of the concerns?

Answer 1

The nurse should not automatically readjust the flow rate.The prescriber orders the flow rate based upon the contents of the IV,patient heart,lung and renal function,diagnoses,and purpose of the IV,among other things.There are no approved "catch- up formulas" for any patient.The nurse is not prepared to evaluate all this.The patient condition must be assessed for symptoms of fluid or medication overload or underload.It's best to consult the prescriber promptly about adjustments.Even abruptly slowing down a medicated IV can cause problems.Never open the IV to full flow to "catch up."

Question 2

Directions: Calculate the IV flow rates with DA equations where requested.For credit,show work.Label all answers.Label flow rates in milliliters per hour or drops per minutes,as needed.
Ordered: NS IV at 100 mL per hr.Available: NS 500 mL.How many hours (and minutes,if applicable)will the infusion last?

Answer 2

Question 3

A maintenance IV is of 1000 mL D5W is ordered every 24 hours on an EID.

A)What is mL per hr to nearest 0.5 mL? ____________
B)Estimate:
C)DA equation:
D)Evaluation:
E)Is this considered a continuous or an intermittent infusion?

Answer 3

a.42 mL per hr
b.Estimate: Less than 50 mL per hr (10 hours would be 100 mL per hr,20 hours 50 mL per hr)
c.DA equation: 41.66,rounded to 42 mL per hr (nearest 0.5 mL)
d.Evaluation: Estimate supports answer.
e.This is a continuous infusion.

Question 4

Directions: Calculate the IV flow rates with DA equations where requested.For credit,show work.Label all answers.Label flow rates in milliliters per hour or drops per minutes,as needed.
Ordered: IVPB antineoplastic.Available from the pharmacy: antineoplastic diluted in 50-mL solution.Administer over 60 minutes.Equipment: infusion pump.

A)Estimated flow rate:
B)DA equation:
C)Evaluation:

Question 5

What is the difference between microdrip and macrodrip tubing?

Question 6

State the names of the following solutions:

A)NS:
B)D₅W:
C)LRS:
D)D₁₀W:
E)0.45 NaCl sol:

Question 7

What is the meaning of dF 15?

Question 8

Directions: Calculate the IV flow rates with DA equations where requested.For credit,show work.Label all answers.Label flow rates in milliliters per hour or drops per minutes,as needed.
Ordered: NS IV at 75 mL per hr.Available: NS 1000 mL; IV administration set with DF15.

A)Where is the DF written? What flow rate will the nurse set?
B)DA equation:
C)Evaluation:

Question 9

Name and give the abbreviations for three isotonic solutions commonly ordered.

Question 10

Directions: Calculate the IV flow rates with DA equations where requested.For credit,show work.Label all answers.Label flow rates in milliliters per hour or drops per minutes,as needed.
Ordered: D₅LRS IV at 40 mL per hr.Available: D₅LRS 500 mL; gravity device with microdrip administration set.

A)What is the DF for a microdrip administration set? How many hours (and minutes, if applicable) will the infusion last?
B)DA equation: What flow rate will the nurse set?
C)Estimated flow rate:
D)DA equation:
E)Evaluation:

Question 11

Which is larger drop: dF 10 or dF 60?

Question 12

What is another name for a medicated intermittent infusion?

Question 13

A gravity device with microdrip (pediatric)tubing is ordered for 30 mL per hr.How many drops per minute will be set on the device?

Question 14

An IV of 1000 mL at 100 mL per hr is started at 1200 hours.At 1800 hours,400 mL have been infused.How many mL should have been infused? How could this have been prevented?

Question 15

Directions: Calculate the IV flow rates with DA equations where requested.For credit,show work.Label all answers.Label flow rates in milliliters per hour or drops per minutes,as needed.
Ordered: IVPB antibiotic.Available from the pharmacy: antibiotic diluted in 50-mL solution.Administer over 20 minutes.Equipment: infusion pump.

A)Estimated flow rate:
B)DA equation:
C)Evaluation:

Question 16

Directions: Calculate the IV flow rates with DA equations where requested.For credit,show work.Label all answers.Label flow rates in milliliters per hour or drops per minutes,as needed.
Ordered: D₅W IV at 125 mL per hr.Available: D₅W 1000 mL; gravity device with DF10 administration set.
What flow rate will the nurse set?

A)DA equation:
B)Evaluation:

Question 17

Directions: Calculate the IV flow rates with DA equations where requested.For credit,show work.Label all answers.Label flow rates in milliliters per hour or drops per minutes,as needed.
Ordered: LRS 2 L IV q24h.

A)Is this an intermittent or continuous order? What flow rate will the nurse set on an infusion pump?
B)DA equation:
C)Evaluation:

Question 18

Directions: Calculate the IV flow rates with DA equations where requested.For credit,show work.Label all answers.Label flow rates in milliliters per hour or drops per minutes,as needed.
Ordered: IVPB antibiotic.Available from the pharmacy: antibiotic diluted in 25-mL solution.Administer over 30 minutes.Equipment: microdrip infusion set.

A)Estimated flow rate:
B)DA equation:
C)Evaluation:

Question 19

Where does the nurse find tubing factor information?

Question 20

Four types of IV administration sets are available: DF10,DF15,DF20,and DF60.

A)Which DF will deliver the largest drops?
B)Which DF will deliver the fewest drops per milliliters?
C)Which DF is used for a microdrip or pediatric IV administration set?
D)Which IV administration set would be used to administer blood?
E)Why?

Question 21

What solution is hung with blood and administered on Y tubing before and after blood administration.What is the purpose?

Question 22

The flow rate for a gravity infusion is counted in what measurement terms?

Question 23

Why is blood administered slowly for the first 15 to 30 minutes?

Question 24

A maintenance IV of 1000 mL D₅LR is ordered to infuse in 8 hours.What is the flow rate in mL per hr?

Question 25

What the purpose of a volume control burette device?

Question 26

An IVPB of 50 mL is ordered to be infused over 30 minutes.What flow rate will the nurse set on the EID in mL per hr?

Question 27

A medicated IVPB 30 mL is ordered to be infused over 60 minutes.What flow rate will the nurse set on the EID in mL per hr?

Question 28

An IV of 100 mL at 50 mL per hr is started at 1000 hours.About what time should the nurse set an alarm to discontinue or replace the IV if the nurse wants a 10-minute warning for this slow flow rate?

Question 29

If IV of 100 mL is ordered for every 5 hours and an agency policy is that 1-hour volume is the maximum amount that can be placed in the volume control device,how much will the nurse place in the device?

Question 30

A medicated IV of 100 mL is ordered to infuse in 2 hours.What is the flow rate in mL per hr?

Question 31

Agency policy states that blood is to be administered at 2 mL per minute for the first 30 minutes.How many mL per hr will be set on the EID?

Question 32

What assessments should the nurse make when checking an infusing IV?

Question 33

A medicated IVPB of 50 mL is ordered to be infused over 20 minutes.What flow rate will the nurse set on the EID in mL per hr?
Estimate:
DA equation
Evaluation.

Question 34

What is a PCA pump used for?

Question 35

An IV of 500 mL at 50 mL per hr is started at 0830 hours.What time will should it be completed (in 24-hour clock time)?