Nursing IV Dose Calculation

Question

Use the information provided to identify the IV push rate of administration for the following.

Order: hydromorphone 3 mg IV for severe pain

Drug book states "Administer slowly at a rate not to exceed 2 mg over 3-5 min."

What is the rate of infusion for this dose?

Answer 1

Last one...

first calculate the safe administration rate:

2 mg/3 min= 0.66 mg/min  and 2 mg/5 min= 0.4 mg/min

Then calculate the rate based on the dose:

3mg /0.66 mg/min= 4.54 min and 3mg/0.4 mg/min= 7.5 min

so the safe rate of infusion is between 4.5 minutes and 7.5 minutes

Answer 2

You have to know the concentration you have. For example there is Hydromorphone Inj 2 MG/ML VIAL. You have to pass, for instamce,  3 mg in 8 minutes. You may add 1,5 ML from VIAL to 50 ml of saline and fix a rate of 6 ML/ min (120 drops/min). At the end of 8 or 9 minutes you will have passed 51,5 ml of saline containing 3 MG of hydromorphone. You can use a rate of 3 ML/min (60 drops/min) of the same solution and pass the 3 MG in about 17 minutes.