A client is receiving a secondary infusion of vancomycin 1,500 mg in 250 mL to be infused over two hours. The intravenous (IV) administration set delivers 15 gtt/mL. How many gtt/min should the nurse regulate the infusion? (Enter numerical value only. If rounding is required, round to the nearest whole number.)

Here's how to calculate the infusion rate (gtt/min) for the nurse to regulate: 1. We know the following: Total vancomycin dose: 1500 mg Volume of solution: 250 mL Infusion time: 2 hours IV administration set gtt/mL: 15 gtt/mL 2. We need to find the infusion rate in gtt/min. Steps: a. Calculate the concentration of vancomycin in the solution: Concentration (mg/mL) = Total dose (mg) / Volume (mL) Concentration (mg/mL) = 1500 mg / 250 mL Concentration (mg/mL) = 6 mg/mL (round to nearest whole number) b. Convert infusion time from hours to minutes: Infusion time (minutes) = Infusion time (hours) x Minutes per hour Infusion time (minutes) = 2 hours * 60 minutes/hour Infusion time (minutes) = 120 minutes c. Calculate the total volume of solution to be infused per minute: Total volume rate (mL/min) = Total volume (mL) / Infusion time (minutes) Total volume rate (mL/min) = 250 mL / 120 minutes Total volume rate (mL/min) = 2.083 mL/min (round to nearest hundredth) d. Finally, calculate the infusion rate in gtt/min: Infusion rate (gtt/min) = Volume rate (mL/min) x gtt/mL Infusion rate (gtt/min) = 2.083 mL/min * 15 gtt/mL Infusion rate (gtt/min) = 31.25 gtt/min (round to nearest whole number as requested) Therefore, the nurse should regulate the infusion at approximately 31 gtt/min.