A healthcare provider prescribes a continuous intravenous infusion of dextrose 5% and 0.45% sodium chloride with KCl 20 mEq/1000 ml to be delivered over 8 hours. How many ml/hour should the nurse program the infusion pump to deliver?

To determine the correct infusion rate in ml/hour for the prescribed continuous intravenous infusion, you first need to identify the total volume to be infused and the duration of the infusion.

In this case, the total volume of the solution is 1000 ml, and it needs to be infused over 8 hours. To find out how many ml should be delivered per hour, you divide the total volume by the total time (in hours).

Calculating this gives:

1000 ml ÷ 8 hours = 125 ml/hour.

This calculation confirms that the infusion pump should be set to deliver 125 ml/hour. This method of calculating infusion rates is vital in nursing and healthcare settings to ensure patients receive the correct dosage of fluids and medications over a prescribed period.

Understanding how to perform these calculations is crucial for patient safety and effective treatment.