A newborn weighing 6.6 lb is prescribed zidovudine (ZDV) 2 mg/kg every 6 hours to reduce the risk of maternal transmission of HIV. The pharmacy prepares an infusion of 1,000 mg of the medication in 1 L of 0.9% normal saline. How many milliliters of the medication will the nurse infuse for each dose? (Numeric value only.)

Question

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The nurse needs to first determine the patient's weight in kilograms by dividing 6.6 lb by 2.2 or 6.6 / 2.2 = 3 kg. The nurse then needs to determine the amount of medication for each dose by multiplying 2 mg × 3 or 6 mg. If the infusion contains 1,000 mg/1,000 ml, then each milliliter contains 1 mg of medication. For a dosage of 6 mg, the nurse would infuse 6 ml.

A Newborn Weighing 6