The provider prescribes a 90 mL volume antibiotic to be infused at a rate of 15 mL/hr. How many hour(s) should the nurse expect, the piggyback will take to infuse? 10 Hours 8 Hours 6 Hours 4 Hours
The correct answer and explanation is:
Correct Answer: 6 Hours
To determine how long it will take for the 90 mL of antibiotic to infuse at a rate of 15 mL per hour, divide the total volume by the infusion rate: Time=Total VolumeInfusion Rate=90 mL15 mL/hr=6 hours\text{Time} = \frac{\text{Total Volume}}{\text{Infusion Rate}} = \frac{90\ \text{mL}}{15\ \text{mL/hr}} = 6\ \text{hours}
This means it will take 6 hours for the piggyback infusion to be completed at the prescribed rate.
Understanding infusion rates is essential for safe medication administration. When a medication like an antibiotic is ordered to be administered intravenously, the nurse must calculate how long the medication will take to fully infuse into the patient’s bloodstream. Piggyback infusions are commonly used for intermittent medication delivery, especially with antibiotics.
In this case, the piggyback refers to a secondary infusion that is connected to the primary IV line. The nurse must ensure that the medication is delivered steadily over the prescribed period to maintain therapeutic drug levels in the patient’s system and avoid complications like toxicity or subtherapeutic dosing.
The importance of this calculation lies in timing and patient safety. If the infusion is administered too quickly, it can overwhelm the patient’s system, potentially causing adverse reactions. If it is too slow, the drug may not reach effective concentration levels in the bloodstream when needed.
Therefore, calculating the time by using the formula: Time (hours)=Volume (mL)Rate (mL/hour)\text{Time (hours)} = \frac{\text{Volume (mL)}}{\text{Rate (mL/hour)}}
ensures precise and safe delivery. In this scenario, the nurse can confidently expect that the 90 mL antibiotic infusion running at 15 mL per hour will take exactly 6 hours to complete.