IV Drip Based on Patient Weight
1. An order is received to administer dopamine to a 176 pound patient by mixing 200
milligrams of dopamine into a 250 milliliter bag of D5W. Dopamine is supplied in
ampules containing 200 mg/4mL. The order is to deliver the dopamine at
5mcg/kg/min. At how many drops per minute will you adjust your microdrip
administration set to drip?
2. You have just received orders to initiate an epinephrine drip on your 22 pound
pediatric patient. The order is to mix 1 milligram of epinephrine into a 250 milliliter
bag of D5W and run at 0.1mcg/kg/min. At how many drops per minute will you
adjust your microdrip administration set to drip?
3. In problem 2, what would the drip rate be if the doctor doubled the dose to
0.2mcg/kg/min?
4. Your 132 pound cardiac patient is in cardiogenic shock. The doctor orders a
dopamine drip to be initiated at 10 mcg/kg/min. your partner has just placed 400
milligrams of dopamine hydrochloride (Intropin) into a 500 milliliter bag of D5W. At
how many drops per minute will you adjust your microdrip administration set to
drip?
5. You are transporting a 66 pound pediatric patient with a congenital heart defect.
The doctor initially orders 20mcg/kg/min of lidocaine to be infused I.V. The nurse
hands you a 250 milliliter bag of D5W that she has labeled “200 milligrams lidocaine
added.” At how many drops per minute will you adjust your microdrip administration
set to drip?
6. The patient in problem 5 does not significantly improve. You are told to increase the
current infusion to 40mcg/kg/min. Now what will your infusion rate be
7. You are completing your report after delivering a patient to the emergency room,
and you notice that the dopamine dose ordered by medical control is missing. To
avoid any possible reprimands, you decide to determine the ordered dose based on
the information available. The patient weighs 176 pounds and the I.V. infusion is
flowing throw a microdrip administration set at 30gtt/min. The label on the 500
milliliter bag of D5W reads “800 milligrams of dopamine added.” What was the
original dose per kilogram per minute ordered?
IV Drip Based on Patient Weight
8. You are in the same situation as you were in problem 7. The patient weighs 220
pounds. The infusion set is a microdrip administration set. It is flowing at 30
gtt/min. The label on the 250 milliliter bag of D5W reads “200 milligrams of
dopamine added.” What was the original dose per kilogram per minute ordered?
9. Your cardiac patient is exhibiting signs and symptoms of cardiogenic shock. Medical
Control orders a dopamine infusion at 3mcg/kg/min. The patients wife state that her
husband weighs about 150 pounds. The vial of dopamine is labeled 200 mg/5mL.
You have a 250 milliliter bag of D5W. At how many drops per minute will you adjust
your microdrip administration set to drip?
10. You are setting up an isoproterenol (Isuprel) drip on your 75 pound pediatric patient
suffering from refractory bronchospasm. The doctor has ordered 0.1mcg/kg/min.
the vial label reads “1mg/5mL.” You have a 250 milliliter bag of D5W with a
microdrip administration set. At how many drops per minute will you adjust your
microdrip administration set to drip?
IV Drip Based on Patient Weight
Answers
1. 30 gtt/min
2. 15 gtt/min
3. 30 gtt/min
4. 45 gtt/min
5. 45 gtt/min
6. 90 gtt/min
7. 10 mcg/kg/min
8. 4 mcg/kg/min
9. 15 gtt/min
10. 51-52 gtt/min