An infant weighing 16 pounds, 8 ounces is admitted to the pediatric unit with severe dehydration and requires intravenous (IV) fluid resuscitation. The nurse is preparing to administer a 0.9% normal saline IV fluid bolus of 6 mL/kg to infuse over 2 hours. The nurse should set the IV pump to deliver how many mL/hr? (Round to the nearest whole number)

To calculate the IV fluid rate, first, convert the infant's weight from pounds and ounces to kilograms. There are 2.2 pounds in one kilogram. The infant weighs 16 pounds and 8 ounces, which is 16.5 pounds or approximately 7.5 kilograms when converted (16.5 pounds ÷ 2.2 pounds per kilogram). Next, multiply the infant's weight in kilograms by the prescribed amount of IV fluid, which is 6 mL/kg. This results in 45 mL (7.5 kg × 6 mL/kg). Since the fluid is to be infused over 2 hours, divide the total volume of 45 mL by 2 hours to find the rate per hour. The IV pump should be set to deliver approximately 22.5 mL/hr. After rounding to the nearest whole number, the IV pump should be set to deliver 23 mL/hr.