What is the infusion rate in ml/hour for a client prescribed oxytocin (Pitocin) at 0.5 milliunits/minute from a 1,000 ml bag with 10 units?

To determine the correct infusion rate in ml/hour for the prescribed oxytocin (Pitocin), we first need to convert the dosage from milliunits to units and subsequently calculate the volume needed to achieve that rate.

1. Convert milliunits to units: The prescription states that the client is to receive oxytocin at a rate of 0.5 milliunits/minute. Since there are 1,000 milliunits in 1 unit, we can convert 0.5 milliunits to units by dividing by 1,000. Thus, 0.5 milliunits/minute is equal to 0.0005 units/minute.

2. Determine the total units required per hour: To find the hourly dosage, multiply the per minute dosage by 60 minutes. Therefore, 0.0005 units/minute × 60 minutes/hour results in 0.03 units/hour.

3. Understand the concentration of the solution: The infusion bag contains 1,000 ml of solution with a total of 10 units of oxytocin. To find the concentration, divide the total units by the volume of the solution: 10 units / 1,000 ml = 0.01 units/ml