A nurse is preparing to administer metronidazole 500 mg by intermittent bolus over 60 min

A nurse is preparing to administer metronidazole 500 mg by intermittent bolus over 60 min. Available is metronidazole 500 mg in 100 ml 0.9% sodium chloride. The nurse should set the IV pump to deliver how many mL/hr? (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 determine the IV pump setting for administering metronidazole, follow these steps:

  1. Identify the Total Volume to be Infused:
    The total volume of the solution available is 100 mL.
  2. Determine the Time for Infusion:
    The medication needs to be infused over 60 minutes (1 hour).
  3. Calculate the IV Pump Rate:
    To find out the rate at which the IV pump should be set, use the formula: [
    \text{IV Pump Rate (mL/hr)} = \frac{\text{Total Volume (mL)}}{\text{Total Time (hr)}}
    ] Plugging in the values: [
    \text{IV Pump Rate} = \frac{100 \text{ mL}}{1 \text{ hr}} = 100 \text{ mL/hr}
    ]

Explanation:

  • Total Volume: The solution contains 500 mg of metronidazole in 100 mL of 0.9% sodium chloride. This is the total volume that needs to be infused.
  • Infusion Time: The infusion time specified is 60 minutes, which equals 1 hour.
  • Calculation: To find out how fast the solution should be administered, divide the total volume by the total infusion time. This provides the IV pump rate in mL/hr.

Thus, setting the IV pump to deliver 100 mL/hr ensures that the entire 100 mL of solution is administered over the prescribed 60 minutes. This ensures that the medication is delivered accurately and within the required timeframe.

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