A physician orders a Heparin drip at 8.0 units per kg body weight per hour via an IV pump. The patient weighs 197 lb. The IV is available at 25,000 units Heparin in exactly 500 mL of IV fluid.

Calculate the flow rate in mL/hr that should be set for the IV pump.

Express your answer using two significant figures.

To set the IV pump for a patient weighing 197 lb, first convert the weight to kg, calculate the dosage in units per hour, and then determine the flow rate in mL/hr, which is 0.028 mL/hr.

Explanation:

The subject of this question is Mathematics, and it is appropriate for College level students studying medicine or health-related courses.

First, we will convert the patient's weight from pounds to kilograms by using the conversion factor 1 kilogram = 2.20462 pounds.

Then, we will calculate the dosage in units per hour based on the patient's weight and the doctor's order of 8.0 units per kg body weight per hour.

Finally, we'll determine the flow rate in mL/hr based on the concentration of the IV fluid.

1. Convert weight to kg:
197 lb × (1 kg / 2.20462 lb) = 89.3594 kg (rounded to 89.36 kg for significant figures)

2. Calculate dosage in units per hour:
89.36 kg × 8.0 units/kg/hr = 714.88 units/hr (rounded to 710 units/hr for significant figures)

3. Calculate flow rate in mL/hr:
(710 units/hr) / (25000 units / 500 mL) = 0.0284 mL/hr (rounded to 0.028 mL/hr for significant figures)

The flow rate that should be set for the IV pump is therefore 0.028 mL/hr.