Week Eight: Fluid Calculations

Question 0

What is flow rate?

Answer 0

The amount of fluids that your patient is receiving over time

Question 1

How do you add medications to a fluid bag?

Answer 1

• calculate your needed volume of medication first
• withdraw that amount of fluid from the bag and then add your medication

(THis maintains your total volume to ensure that your calculations match your fluid bag)

Question 2

A fluid pump can be set to a flow rate in…

Answer 2

mL/min

mL/hr (standard)

Question 3

What is the drip rate?

Answer 3

How fast the drips are dripping

Technicians set the speed of drops in the drip chamber to set the flow rate

Question 4

Drip rates are set and reported in…

Answer 4

gtt/# of sec (rounded to the nearest whole drop)

gtt/min (most standard- round normally)

Question 5

If you know the drip rate you can use the _____ type to determine the flow rate

Answer 5

Drip set

Question 6

With a given _______ and _______ you can determine the rate at which a drug is being given

Answer 6

Concentration and flow rate

Question 7

Drug rates can be reported in…

Answer 7

Weight Units/min

Weight Units/hr

Question 8

How do you calculate flow rates?

Answer 8

• Determine total volume administered or desired
• Determine amount of time this took or how long it is planned to take
• Make this into a fraction with volume over time
• simplify as needed

Question 9

What is the equation for flow rate?

Answer 9

Total fluid
________
Time

Question 10

Drip rates can be calculated if you know the _____ and the _______ being used.

Answer 10

Flow rate and the drip set

Question 11

What is the equation for formula method for drip rate?

Answer 11

Vol. of fluid (mL) X Drip set (gtt/mL)
____________________
Time (min or sec)

= gtt/min

Question 12

What are the steps for calculating drug rates?

Answer 12

• Determine flow rate
• Determine concentration of the drug in the fluids being administered as a fraction
• Multiply number of milliliters in flow rate by number of weight units in concentration
• Place this new number over your existing time units
• Convert units as needed

Question 13

Name some facts about heparin

Answer 13

• Potent anticoagulant
• In the Top 10 List for medication errors
• Measured in units, not by weight
• Concentration is listed in Units/mL

Question 14

Facts about injectable Heparin

Answer 14

Used to treat and prevent systemic clotting in very small amounts
Given SQ to allow for slower effect over time

Question 15

Facts about Heparin flush

Answer 15

Very diluted used to prevent clotting in a catheter or other IV line
Given IV but has a very low concentration

Question 16

Fluid therapy is based on what?

Answer 16

Patient weight

Question 17

Maintenance fluid for adult animals..

Answer 17

50 mL/kg/d

Question 18

Maintenance fluids for young animals

Answer 18

110 mL/kg/d

Question 19

Surgical losses (insensible) and KVO

Answer 19

5 mL/kg/d

Question 20

4% dehydration

Answer 20

Fluid loss reported in history
Bleeding or fluid loss not in clinic

Add 40 mL/kg/d

Question 21

5% dehydration

Answer 21

Tacky mucous membranes (sticky)

Add 50 mL/kg/d

Question 22

6% dehydration

Answer 22

Slow turgor test, dry mucous membranes, dull eyes

Add 60 mL/kg/d

Question 23

10% dehydration

Answer 23

Skin remains tented, weak and rapid pulse, CRT > 2 sec, sunken eyes

Add 100 mL/kg/d

Question 24

12% dehydration

Answer 24

Moribund, will probably die

Critical/shock protocols

Question 25

15% dehydrated

Answer 25

Non recoverable

Patient death imminent