A nurse is preparing to administer dobutamine 12 mcg/kg/min by continuous IV infusion to a preterm newborn who weighs 2 kg. Available is dobutamine 250 mg in 500 mL dextrose 5% in water. The nurse should set the IV pump to deliver how many mL/hr? (Round the answer to the nearest tenth. Use a leading zero if it applies. Do not use a trailing zero.)

Calculate the total dose per minute: Dose: 12 mcg/kg/min Weight: 2 kg Total dose per minute: 12 mcg/kg/min × 2 kg = 24 mcg/min Convert mcg/min to mg/min: Given 1mg = 1000mcg 24 mcg/min / 1000 mcg/mg = 0.024 mg/min Calculate the concentration of the solution: Available: 250 mg in 500 mL Concentration: 250 mg / 500 mL = 0.5 mg/mL Calculate the infusion rate in mL/min: Infusion rate: 0.024 mg/min / 0.5 mg/mL = 0.048 mL/min Convert mL/min to mL/hr: Infusion rate: 0.048 mL/min × 60 min/hr = 2.88 mL/hr Round to the nearest tenth: 2.88 mL/hr rounded to the nearest tenth is 2.9 mL/hr. Therefore, the nurse should set the IV pump to deliver 2.9 mL/hr.