crotchitymedic1986 Posted December 31, 2008 Author Share Posted December 31, 2008 thank you for your honesty itk -- it is a very difficult problem that would cause many to scratch their head, especially since the mix is not the standard concentration- -- no shame in admitting that Yes 7mcg/kg/min Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ERDoc Posted December 31, 2008 Share Posted December 31, 2008 You have a 2kg premie infant that needs a dopamine drip. You have 1600mg of Dopamine in a 100cc bag of NACL (you dont want to overload the child with fluid). You want to administer 7mcgs with a 60gtt set. What is your drip rate ? You'll want to give 0.0525cc/hr which you should put on a pump. For your little games, it would be 3.15 gtts per hour. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Eydawn Posted December 31, 2008 Share Posted December 31, 2008 Can you do that out step by step for me, MedicRN? I was trying to figure it out myself (even though I'm not a medic) but I'm not sure how to make the conversions all work right. A 60 gtt set is 60 gtts per mL per min, correct? Without being able to look up references, I'm having issues. Wendy CO EMT-B Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
crotchitymedic1986 Posted December 31, 2008 Author Share Posted December 31, 2008 nice goin doc, please replace the question with another question. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MedicRN Posted December 31, 2008 Share Posted December 31, 2008 Can you do that out step by step for me, MedicRN? I was trying to figure it out myself (even though I'm not a medic) but I'm not sure how to make the conversions all work right. A 60 gtt set is 60 gtts per mL per min, correct? Without being able to look up references, I'm having issues. Wendy CO EMT-B That would be correct. I'm still trying to work this one out. I get the same numbers as Doc but the decimal is in a different place............ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
itku2er Posted December 31, 2008 Share Posted December 31, 2008 I am trying to work it out too but its just not happening so RN will you give me a helping hand? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MedicRN Posted December 31, 2008 Share Posted December 31, 2008 Ok..... finally got it to work out using a 'constant.' 16mg/1ml X 1000 / 60min / 2kg = ©133.33 7 / © = 0.0525ml/hr 0.0525 X 60gtt = 3.15gtt/hr Thus, ALWAYS USE A PUMP!!!!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
itku2er Posted December 31, 2008 Share Posted December 31, 2008 Ok..... finally got it to work out using a 'constant.' 16mg/1ml X 1000 / 60min / 2kg = ©133.33 7 / © = 0.0525ml/hr 0.0525 X 60gtt = 3.15gtt/hr Thus, ALWAYS USE A PUMP!!!!! Thanks RN that is why I always use a pump lol Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ERDoc Posted December 31, 2008 Share Posted December 31, 2008 I'll try to explain the process, but it is hard over the internet. 1. We are starting with 1600mg in 100cc which gives us 16mg/cc (divide 1600 by 100cc) or 16000mcg/cc. 2. We are looking to give 14mcg/min or 840mcg/hr (multiply 14 by 60 minutes). So, we divide the desired rate by the concentration (840mcg/hr divided by 16000mcg/cc) which gives us 0.0525cc/hr. 3. We know that our set gives us 60gtt/cc, so we multiply our desired rate by the drip set which gives 3.15gtts/hr. This is where algebra truly comes into use in medicine. It is basic unit conversion. Put all of your know values into the units you desire and then do the calculations. Hope this has made it as clear as mud. Edited to make it less confusing (oops, didn't work). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tniuqs Posted January 1, 2009 Share Posted January 1, 2009 Maybe just a silly notion, and the mental excises is fine granted ... but The scenario a 4 kg kid is most likely a newborn, why would you be starting a 7 mcg/kg/min drip in the first place .... thats an MDs type order, without a pump hmmm and like in an ICU or transport team situation. As a Paramedic in the field one must have exhausted fluid challenge first, then go to tropes ... point being unless you have an art line in-situ one would start at lower starting dosage and titrate to effect and not to many art line cut downs done in the field in my neck of the woods... and indwelling umbilical art lines are really not common practice in most services .... well just saying thats my real life way of thinking. Besides delivering Dopamine other than a central line is rather difficult ... are we talking scalp vein here or IO? just saying is all. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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