Vial Dilutions
1. The physician has given an order for dilaudid (hydromorphone) 1 mg IV push every 23 hours as needed. Available is dilaudid 2 mg in 1 ml. The policy requires that the entire
2 mg vial be mixed with 0.9%NaCl to achieve a total volume of 10 ml prior to discarding
any medication. How many ml of the dilaudid mixture will be given IV push?
2. Methylprednisone needs to be reconstituted such that a 50mg dose can be given. The
vial available contains 100mg methylprednisone in 1mL.
a) You should add ____ mL of sterile water to the methyl prednisone
b) That will give you a concentration of ______mg/mL methylprednisone
c) You would then administer ____ mL ( ____ mg) of this solution to the patient.
3. Greg has an order for morphine 1-2mg every hour as needed. One hour ago he got
3mg. Right now, he says that the 1 mg helped a little, but not as much as he would like,
and he rates his pain as moderately severe. The vial of morphine says there are 5mg in
1mL.
a) In your professional opinion, what dose of morphine would be ideal?
b) How will you prepare this?
c) You want to administer the dose over a span of 5 minutes. How much (in mL) will you
give every 15 seconds?
4. Medication order: Midazolam 6 mg by IV push
Available: Midazolam 10 mg in 1 mL
Directions: Dilute medication in normal saline for a total volume of 10 mL and
administer over 2 minutes
How many mL of normal saline will be added? How many mL per minute will you give?
Answers:
1. 5mL
2.
a: 9mL
b: 10mg/mL
c: 5mL (50mg)
3.
a: 2mg
b: Add 9mL of sterile water; give pt. 4mL
4. 9mL; 3mL per minute.
c: 0.2mL