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1Formulas and methods
Pediatric nursing
Method
Note the child’s age first: it sets the normal vital signs, the milestones and the right pain scale.
Assess airway, breathing and circulation, remembering that children compensate and then deteriorate fast.
Match the action to the development stage and involve the family.
Check that the answer is safe for a child: weight-based, no aspirin in viral illness, no codeine under 12.
Pediatric & critical-care dosing
Daily dose
mg/day = mg/kg/day × weight (kg)
Doses per day
number = 24 h / dosing interval (h)
Pounds to kilograms
kg = lb / 2.2
Infusion concentration
units/mL = units in bag / bag volume
Pump rate
mL/h = dose per hour / concentration
Titrated drip
mL/h = mcg/kg/min × kg × 60 / (mcg/mL)
Dose from pump rate
mcg/kg/min = mL/h × (mcg/mL) / (60 × kg)
Units
1 mg = 1000 mcg
IV fluids & fluid balance
Holliday–Segar per hour
4 mL/kg (first 10 kg) + 2 mL/kg (next 10 kg) + 1 mL/kg (each kg above 20)
Holliday–Segar per day
100 / 50 / 20 mL/kg for the same bands
Fluid balance
intake − output
Ice chips
count as half their volume
Urine output
mL/kg/h = mL / (kg × h)
Infusion time
time (h) = volume left (mL) / rate (mL/h)
Volume infused
mL = rate × time
2Practice problems
1.Pediatric nursingMedium
Which advice about screen use reflects common paediatric guidance for children under about 18 months?
AUp to 2 hours a day of educational TV programmes is beneficial for language
BAvoid screen media, apart from video calls with family
CScreens are fine as long as the volume is low
DBackground TV helps language development
2.Pediatric nursingHard
A 10-year-old with suspected appendicitis has had severe abdominal pain, but it suddenly gets much better. What may this mean?
AThe appendix may have perforated; report it immediately
BThe pain medication has cured the problem
CThe appendicitis has resolved and the child can go home
DIt is a normal change that needs no follow-up
3.Pediatric & critical-care dosingMedium
Practice exercise (made-up values, not clinical guidance). An infusion of 100 units of regular insulin in 250 mL runs at 20 mL/h. How many units per hour D does the patient receive?
100 units/250 mL20 mL/h
D = units/h
4.Pediatric & critical-care dosingHard
Practice exercise (made-up values, not clinical guidance). A bag contains dopamine 800 mg in 500 mL. The order is 2 mcg/kg/min for a patient who weighs 100 kg. At what rate R do you set the pump, in mL/h? Round to one decimal place.
800 mg/500 mL2 mcg/kg/min100 kg
R = mL/h
5.IV fluids & fluid balanceMedium
Practice exercise (made-up values, not clinical guidance). The record shows a patient's intake and output for one 12-hour shift. The patient weighs 90 kg. Find the average urine output U in mL/kg/h. Round to two decimal places.
Practice exercise (made-up values, not clinical guidance). A 500 mL bag runs by pump at 100 mL/h. At 21:30, 300 mL have already been infused. How many hours t until the bag is empty? Round to one decimal place.
500 mL300 mL infused100 mL/h
t = h
3Solutions
1.Pediatric nursing
Answer: B · Avoid screen media, apart from video calls with family
Why this is the answer
Young children learn through face-to-face interaction and play. Guidance such as the American Academy of Pediatrics advises avoiding screens other than video chatting under about 18–24 months, and limited, shared, high-quality viewing after that.
Answer
B · Avoid screen media, apart from video calls with family
2.Pediatric nursing
Answer: A · The appendix may have perforated; report it immediately
Why this is the answer
Sudden relief of pain in appendicitis can indicate perforation, which is followed by peritonitis with worsening pain, fever and rigidity. It needs urgent reporting.
Answer
A · The appendix may have perforated; report it immediately
3.Pediatric & critical-care dosing
Answer: D = 8 units/h
Heparin and insulin infusions: concentration = units in the bag/bag volume (units/mL). Pump rate (mL/h) = units per hour/concentration, and units per hour = mL/h × concentration. For a weight-based order, units/h = units/kg/h × weight first. A bolus volume = units needed/vial strength. The numbers are for practice only; at the bedside always follow local protocols and have high-risk doses double-checked.
Concentration
100/250 = 0.4 units/mL
Units per hour
D = 20·0.4 = 8 units/h
Answer
D = 8 units/h
4.Pediatric & critical-care dosing
Answer: R = 7.5 mL/h
Titrated drips: first find the concentration in mcg/mL (mg × 1000/mL). For a weight-based order, mcg/min = mcg/kg/min × weight. Then mL/h = mcg/min × 60/concentration. Working backwards, mcg/kg/min = mL/h × concentration/(60 × weight). The numbers are for practice only; at the bedside always follow local protocols and have high-risk doses double-checked.
Concentration
800 mg = 800 000 mcg
800 000/500 = 1600 mcg/mL
Dose per minute and per hour
2·100 = 200 mcg/min
200·60 = 12000 mcg/h
Pump rate
R = 12000/1600 = 7.5 mL/h
Answer
R = 7.5 mL/h
5.IV fluids & fluid balance
Answer: U = 1.11 mL/kg/h
Intake and output: intake counts everything that goes in (oral fluids, IV infusions, IV medications and flushes, tube feeds); ice chips count as half their volume. Output counts urine, drains, vomit and other losses. Balance = total intake − total output; a negative balance is a net loss. The numbers are for practice only; at the bedside always follow local protocols and have high-risk doses double-checked.
Total urine
200 + 350 + 375 + 275 = 1200 mL
Per kilogram per hour
U = 1200/(90·12) = 1.111 ≈ 1.11 mL/kg/h
Answer
U = 1.11 mL/kg/h
6.IV fluids & fluid balance
Answer: t = 2 h
Infusion time: time (h) = volume to infuse (mL)/rate (mL/h); use the volume still left in the bag, not the bag size. Volume infused = rate × time. Convert decimal hours to hours and minutes with the fraction × 60 (0.5 h = 30 min, not 50 min). The numbers are for practice only; at the bedside always follow local protocols and have high-risk doses double-checked.
Volume left
500 − 300 = 200 mL
Time
t = 200/100 = 2 h
Answer
t = 2 h
That is about 2 h 00 min, so the bag runs out at about 23:30.