

Let’s begin with a common infusion of heparin.Įxample 1: Administer heparin 500 units per hour continuous IV.

Now let’s use dimensional analysis to figure out continuous IV infusions. Intravenous Drips: Convert units/hour to mL/hour (Wilson, 2013) 0.5 divided by 0.25 is 2.Īnswer: 2 penicillin tablets every 6 hours Step 4: Multiply numerators, multiply denominators, then divide numerator by denominator. Step 3: Alternate labels in numerator and denominator so labels cancel out. We know that there are 1000 mg in 1 gram.Ģ50 mg = 0.25 grams per tablet which can now be inserted into the formula. The pharmacy dispenses 250 mg tablets of penicillin however, the order calls for 0.5 grams per dose. Step 1: What label is needed? We want to know how many tablets to administer.įirst, we need to convert miligrams to grams. How many tablets should you administer for each dose? The pharmacy dispenses penicillin in 250 mg tablets. Question: Administer penicillin 0.5 grams p.o.
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You can find a handy conversion chart in our Nursing Pocket Card: Common Calculations.īefore we dive in, here are the steps and answer to the practice problem from Drug Calculations: How To Use Dimensional Analysis. Don’t forget, every nurse should be comfortable with basic metric conversions. In Part 3, we’ll take a closer look at dimensional analysis and how to use it to calculate continuous intravenous (IV) drips, beginning with units per hour (u/hr). In the first two installments of this blog series we reviewed common drug calculation methods such as the universal formula and dimensional analysis. Facing Ethical Challenges with Strength and Compassion.

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