![]() ![]() Have a colleague or pharmacist check your work.Check that your answer makes sense clinically.This is consistent with the shift report. Step 4: Multiply numerators, then multiply denominators. Step 3: Alternate labels in numerator and denominator so labels cancel out. The concentration of the heparin drip is 40 units/mL. Step 2: Place the same label in the numerator on the right side of the equation. This is placed on the left side of the equation. Step 1: What label is needed? We want to know how many units of heparin the patient is receiving per hour. How many units/hour is the patient receiving? The label on the bottle reads 20,000 units in 500 mL D 5W (40 units/mL). In the next example, you know the IV hourly rate (mL/hour) of the infusion but you need to verify the dose.Įxample 2: You receive shift report that your patient is on a heparin drip and you want to verify the dose that that patient is receiving. Next, let’s reverse the process using dimensional analysis. Intravenous Drips: Convert units/hour to mL/hour If your institution does not have infusion pumps with this capability, you may need to round to the nearest whole number. Most institutions utilize infusion pumps that can be programmed to the tenth or hundredth decimal place. Step 4: Multiply numerators, multiply denominators, then divide numerator by denominator. Step 1: What label is needed? We want to know the rate on the IV pump (mL/hour) and this is placed on the left side of the equation. Pharmacy supplies the heparin with a concentration of 20,000 units in 500 mL D 5W (40 units/mL). Let’s begin with a common infusion of heparin.Įxample 1: Administer heparin 500 units per hour continuous IV. Now let’s use dimensional analysis to figure out continuous IV infusions. Intravenous Drips: Convert units/hour to mL/hour (Wilson, 2013) 0.5 divided by 0.25 is 2.Īnswer: 2 penicillin tablets every 6 hours We know that there are 1000 mg in 1 gram.Ģ50 mg = 0.25 grams per tablet which can now be inserted into the formula. The pharmacy dispenses 250 mg tablets of penicillin however, the order calls for 0.5 grams per dose. Step 1: What label is needed? We want to know how many tablets to administer.įirst, we need to convert miligrams to grams. How many tablets should you administer for each dose? The pharmacy dispenses penicillin in 250 mg tablets. Question: Administer penicillin 0.5 grams p.o. You can find a handy conversion chart in our Nursing Pocket Card: Common Calculations.īefore we dive in, here are the steps and answer to the practice problem from Drug Calculations: How To Use Dimensional Analysis. Don’t forget, every nurse should be comfortable with basic metric conversions. In Part 3, we’ll take a closer look at dimensional analysis and how to use it to calculate continuous intravenous (IV) drips, beginning with units per hour (u/hr). In the first two installments of this blog series we reviewed common drug calculation methods such as the universal formula and dimensional analysis. Facing Ethical Challenges with Strength and Compassion.Establishing Yourself as a Professional and Developing Leadership Skills.Ensuring Patient & Family Centered Care.Developing Critical Thinking Skills and Fostering Clinical Judgement.Alteplase Injection for Acute Ischemic Events.Affirming Care for Patients who are LGBTQ+.Lippincott Clinical Conferences On Demand.Continuing Education Bundle for Nurse Educators.Lippincott NursingCenter’s Critical Care Insider.Lippincott NursingCenter’s Career Advisor.An Unforeseen Path from Critical Care Nurse to Editor-in-Chief of American Journal of Nursing. ![]() When Nurses Speak, People Listen: An Interview with Pat Patton.Academic/Practice Innovation: An Interview with Dr.Nurse Wellness Is Not Just About Resiliency.Creating Learning Environments to Advance Health Equity.Using Simulation to Develop Clinical Reasoning.The Nursing Shortage and Nurse/Patient Ratios.
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