Cefuroxime sodium, 1 g in 50 mL normal saline (NS), is to be administered over 30 minutes to a client with an infection. The drop factor is 15 drops (gtt)/1 mL. The nurse sets the flow rate at how many drops per minute?

1. A

   22 gtt/min

2. B

   25 gtt/min

3. C

   28 gtt/min

4. D

   30 gtt/min

Appeared in: NORCET 6 Prelims -2024

Explanation

Listen in Hindi

• calculated using the standard formula for IV flow rate: (Total Volume × Drop Factor) / Time in minutes.
• Plugging in the given values: (50 mL × 15 gtt/mL) / 30 min.
• This simplifies to 750 / 30, which equals 25 gtt/min.
• This calculation ensures the medication is delivered at the prescribed rate for therapeutic effectiveness and patient safety.

Why Other Options Were Wrong

• Option A: 22 gtt/min is incorrect. This value would be obtained through a miscalculation and would result in under-dosing the patient over the prescribed time.
• Option C: 28 gtt/min is incorrect. This rate is faster than required and would deliver the medication too quickly, potentially increasing the risk of side effects.
• Option D: 30 gtt/min is incorrect. This rate is significantly faster than the calculated rate and would administer the full dose in approximately 25 minutes instead of 30, which could lead to adverse reactions.

Related Visual

• Visual 1: Infographic: A clear visual breakdown of the IV flow rate formula: Flow Rate (gtt/min) = (Total Volume [mL] × Drop Factor [gtt/mL]) / Time [min].
• Visual 2: Diagram: An illustration of an IV drip chamber, highlighting the formation of drops and explaining the concept of a 'drop factor' (macrodrip vs. microdrip).

Clinical Relevance

• Nursing practice connection: Knowing This question tests the ability to calculate the flow rate for an intravenous (IV) infusion in drops per minute (gtt/min) helps nurses interpret findings accurately and avoid errors in routine assessment, medication administration, and patient teaching.
• Accurate calculation of IV flow rates is a critical nursing skill to ensure patient safety and therapeutic efficacy. Incorrect rates can lead to under-dosing, over-dosing, or adverse events like 'speed shock' (a systemic reaction to a substance rapidly injected into the bloodstream).
• Nurses must always double-check their calculations, especially for potent medications. Using an infusion pump is the standard of care for precise delivery, but manual calculation skills are essential for situations without pumps or as a backup.
• What if the drop factor was for a microdrip set (60 gtt/mL)? The calculation would be (50 mL × 60 gtt/mL) / 30 min = 3000 / 30 = 100 gtt/min. This shows how critical knowing the correct drop factor is.

How to Approach the Question

• First, identify all the necessary components for the calculation from the question: Total Volume (50 mL), Time (30 minutes), and Drop Factor (15 gtt/mL).
• Recall or look up the standard formula for calculating IV flow rate in drops per minute: Flow Rate = (Volume × Drop Factor) / Time.
• Ensure all units are correct before calculating. The volume should be in mL, and the time in minutes. In this case, no conversions are needed.
• Substitute the given values into the formula: (50 × 15) / 30.
• Perform the multiplication first: 50 × 15 = 750.
• Then, perform the division: 750 / 30 = 25.

Concept Tested & Keywords

• Concept Tested: This question tests the ability to calculate the flow rate for an intravenous (IV) infusion in drops per minute (gtt/min).
• Stem keywords: Cefuroxime sodium, 50 mL, 30 minutes, drop factor, 15 drops, flow rate
• Lead-in keywords: how many drops per minute

Question ID

Qu6tBfbz__NHrxxoO1XN61

Copy ID