The order reads Vancomycin HCL 15mgkg IVPB in NS to infuse o

The order reads Vancomycin HCL 15mg/kg IVPB in NS to infuse over 1 hour. On hand, you have a vial of Vancomycin that reads: Add 250 ml NS to yield 5.4mg/ml. Your patient weight is 198 lbs. How much will you give?

Solution

We are supposed to give 15 mg of vancomycin per kg of the patient\'s weight.

patient weight is 198 lbs.

convert lbs to Kg we know that,

2.2 pounds = 1 Kg,

dividing 198 by 2.2. that is 198/2.2 = 90,

so the patient weight is 90 Kg.

now we need to give 15 mg of vancomycin per kg of the patient\'s weight

as patient\'s weight is 90 Kg

hence we need to give 15 mg * 90 = 1350 mg.

so patient needs 1350 mg of vancomycin over the one hour.

Mixing the vial of vancomycin powder with 250 mL of saline(Ns) gets us 250 mL of vancomycin in saline.

It should not be more than 250 mL because it dissolves.

now vial has 5.4 mg of vancomycin per mL of solution.

as we have 250 mL of solution.

so number of mg of vancomycin we have is 5.4 mg * 250 mL = 1350 mg

so after mixing 250 mL of normal saline with the vancomycin powder we have 1350 mg vancomycin

So you can just mix it up and set the IV to give the patient 250 mL in one hour.