A patient is ordered a continuous heparin infusion 18 units/kg/hr. The patient weighs 220 lbs. The medication is supplied as 25000 units/250mL. At what rate should the nurse set the pump?

To determine the correct IV pump rate for the heparin infusion, follow these steps: 1. Convert the patient’s weight from pounds to kilograms: 1 pound = 0.453592 kilograms 220 pounds x 0.453592 = 99.79 kilograms (rounded to two decimal places) 2. Calculate the dosage in units per hour: 18 units/kg/hr x 99.79 kg = 1796.22 units/hr 3. Determine the volume of heparin solution needed per hour: The medication is supplied as 25000 units in 250 mL. Therefore, the concentration is 100 units/mL. 1796.22 units/hr / 100 units/mL = 17.96 mL/hr 4. So, the nurse should set the IV pump to 18 mL/hour (rounded to the nearest whole number).