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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
A child is in skin traction for a leg fracture. Which nursing action is correct?
AKeep the weights hanging freely, clear of the bed and floor
BLift the weights off when the child is uncomfortable
CLet the weights rest on the floor while the child sleeps, so the pull is gentler
DRemove the traction tapes every hour to check the skin
2.Pediatric nursingHard
A 2-year-old is having a tonic–clonic seizure with a high fever. What should the nurse do first?
AProtect the child from injury, time the seizure and turn the child onto the side
BHold the child's limbs firmly to stop the movements and prevent injury from the jerking
CPut a spoon in the child's mouth to protect the tongue
DPut the child in a cool bath
3.Pediatric & critical-care dosingMedium
Practice exercise (made-up values, not clinical guidance). A bag contains 12 500 units of heparin in 250 mL. The order is 14 units/kg/h for a patient who weighs 90 kg. At what rate R do you set the pump, in mL/h? Round to one decimal place.
12 500 units/250 mL14 units/kg/h90 kg
R = mL/h
4.Pediatric & critical-care dosingHard
Practice exercise (made-up values, not clinical guidance). A dobutamine infusion of 500 mg in 250 mL runs at 34 mL/h. The patient weighs 77 kg. What dose D in mcg/kg/min is the patient receiving? Round to one decimal place.
500 mg/250 mL34 mL/h77 kg
D = mcg/kg/min
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 IV infusion ran at the rate shown for the whole shift. Find the total intake I in mL.
milk: 240 mLjuice: 150 mLIV infusion: 60 mL/h × 12 hIV antibiotic: 2 × 100 mL
I = mL
6.IV fluids & fluid balanceHard
Practice exercise (made-up values, not clinical guidance). A 500 mL bag runs by pump at 60 mL/h. At 20:30, 300 mL have already been infused. How many hours t until the bag is empty? Round to one decimal place.
500 mL300 mL infused60 mL/h
t = h
3Solutions
1.Pediatric nursing
Answer: A · Keep the weights hanging freely, clear of the bed and floor
Why this is the answer
The weights must hang freely to keep a steady pull, and the ropes must run smoothly over the pulleys. The nurse checks the skin, circulation and sensation regularly without removing the traction unless allowed.
Answer
A · Keep the weights hanging freely, clear of the bed and floor
2.Pediatric nursing
Answer: A · Protect the child from injury, time the seizure and turn the child onto the side
Why this is the answer
During a seizure, move hard objects away, do not put anything in the mouth or restrain the child, time it and place the child on the side afterwards. Get urgent help if it lasts more than 5 minutes.
Answer
A · Protect the child from injury, time the seizure and turn the child onto the side
3.Pediatric & critical-care dosing
Answer: R = 25.2 mL/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.
Units per hour
14·90 = 1 260 units/h
Concentration
12 500/250 = 50 units/mL
Pump rate
R = 1260/50 = 25.2 mL/h
Answer
R = 25.2 mL/h
4.Pediatric & critical-care dosing
Answer: D = 14.7 mcg/kg/min
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
500 000/250 = 2000 mcg/mL
Micrograms per minute
34·2000 = 68000 mcg/h
68000/60 = 1133 mcg/min
Per kilogram
D = 1133/77 = 14.72 ≈ 14.7 mcg/kg/min
Answer
D = 14.7 mcg/kg/min
5.IV fluids & fluid balance
Answer: I = 1310 mL
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.
Add the intake
oral: 240 + 150 = 390 mL
IV infusion: 60·12 = 720 mL
IV antibiotic: 2·100 = 200 mL
I = 1310 mL
Answer
I = 1310 mL
6.IV fluids & fluid balance
Answer: t = 3.3 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 = 200/60 = 3.333 ≈ 3.3 h
Answer
t = 3.3 h
That is about 3 h 20 min, so the bag runs out at about 23:50.