Sei sulla pagina 1di 9

Drug Calculations in Paediatrics

Ann McDermott, Senior sister PICU Mark Darowski, Consultant PICU

Aims of this presentation


To make you familiar with
Units of measurement

The standard drug calculation formulae


Converting
Rates into dosages (i.e. x ml = y microg/kg/min) Dosages into rates (i.e. x microg/kg/min = y ml/hr)

Units
1 gram (g) = 1000 miligrams(mg) 1 mg = 1000 micrograms(microg) 1 microgram = 1000 nanograms (nanog)

Standard formula
What you want x What its in What youve got All of the values must be in the same unit of measure e.g. mg, mls, hour
150mg phenytoin is prescribed (what you want) you have 250mg (what youve got) in 5 ml (what its in) 150 x 5 = 3ml is the volume you need to give 250

Rates to dosages
1. Convert to same unit of measure
Divide by the volume of diluent Multiply by the rate

1.

I have x microgram

2.

2.

I have y microgram/ml

3.

3. 4. 5.

I am giving z microgram/hr I am giving u microgram/kg/hr I am giving w microgram/kg/min

4.
5.

Divide by the patients weight


(divide by 60 for minutes)

Example
Adrenaline 10mg in 100ml running at 4ml/hr in a 70 kg patient. How many microg/kg/min is the patient getting?

1.
2. 3. 4. 5.

I have 10 mg = 10000 microg


I have 10000 100 = 100 microg/ml I am giving 4 x 100 = 400 microg/hr I am giving 400 70 = 5.7 microg/kg/hr My patient is receiving 5.7 60 = 0.09 microg/kg/min

Doses to rates
Amount of drug required x weight x (60) Divided by microgram/ml of drug = ml/hr

Example 2
Patient of 70kg prescribed adrenaline at 0.2 microgram/kg/min. 0.2 x 70 x 60 = 840 microg/hr = what you want 10mg in 100ml = 100 microg/ml = what youve got What you want = What youve got 840 100 = 8.4 ml/hr

Safe practice and documentation


If unsure say so Safety checks do long hand

Labelling of syringes and lines


Two nurses to:
Check pump set-up Alter infusion rates Sign chart and label

Potrebbero piacerti anche