The nurse is initiating a prescription for IV dextrose 2.5% in 0.45% sodium chloride (D, 0.5% NS) at 45 mL/hour for a child with dehydration. The nurse attaches a volume-control administration set with a microdrop chamber to the bag of solution. How many microdrops/minute should the nurse regulate the infusion? (Enter the numerical value only. If rounding is required, round to the nearest whole number.)

The infusion rate is given as 45 mL/hour. We know that 1 hour is 60 minutes, so we can convert the rate to mL/minute: Rate in mL/minute = Rate in mL/hour /divide by 60minutes/hour ​= 45mL/hour / 60minutes/hour ​≈ 0.75mL/minute The volume-control administration set with a microdrop chamber delivers 60 microdrops/mL. Therefore, the rate in microdrops/minute would be: Rate in microdrops/minute = Rate in mL/minute×Drops per mL = 0.75mL/minute × 60microdrops/mL = 45microdrops/minute However, the question asks to round the answer to the nearest whole number. So, the nurse should regulate the infusion to deliver 45 microdrops/minute.