Pediatric Nursing: cram pack

Formula sheets, the key method steps for every topic and 6 practice problems, with full solutions at the back.

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1Formulas and methods

Pediatric nursing

Method

  1. Note the child’s age first: it sets the normal vital signs, the milestones and the right pain scale.
  2. Assess airway, breathing and circulation, remembering that children compensate and then deteriorate fast.
  3. Match the action to the development stage and involve the family.
  4. 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 with type 1 diabetes is unconscious from hypoglycaemia at school. What should be done?

  1. ALet the child sleep and check again in an hour
  2. BGive a glass of orange juice by mouth
  3. CGive the child's usual dose of insulin
  4. DGive glucagon and call emergency services
2.Pediatric nursingHard

A 15-year-old boy with mumps develops a painful, swollen testis. What is the most likely explanation?

  1. ATesticular cancer unrelated to the infection
  2. BA late side effect of the MMR vaccine given in childhood
  3. CMumps orchitis, a known complication after puberty
  4. DAn inguinal hernia caused by coughing
3.Pediatric & critical-care dosingMedium
25 000 units500 mLheparin? mL/h104 kg15 units/kg/h

Practice exercise (made-up values, not clinical guidance). A bag contains 25 000 units of heparin in 500 mL. The order is 15 units/kg/h for a patient who weighs 104 kg. At what rate R do you set the pump, in mL/h? Round to one decimal place.

25 000 units/500 mL15 units/kg/h104 kg
R = mL/h
4.Pediatric & critical-care dosingHard
400 mg250 mLdopamine5 mL/h104 kg? mcg/kg/min

Practice exercise (made-up values, not clinical guidance). A dopamine infusion of 400 mg in 250 mL runs at 5 mL/h. The patient weighs 104 kg. What dose D in mcg/kg/min is the patient receiving? Round to one decimal place.

400 mg/250 mL5 mL/h104 kg
D = mcg/kg/min
5.IV fluids & fluid balanceMedium
IntakeOutput8-hour shiftmilk240 mLwater240 mLtea240 mLice chips100 mLIV infusion75 mL/h × 8 hIV antibiotic1 × 50 mLurine175 mLurine175 mLurine500 mLvomit150 mL

Practice exercise (made-up values, not clinical guidance). The record shows a patient's intake and output for one 8-hour shift. The IV infusion ran at the rate shown for the whole shift. Find the total intake I in mL. Count ice chips as half their volume.

milk: 240 mLwater: 240 mLtea: 240 mLice chips: 100 mLIV infusion: 75 mL/h × 8 hIV antibiotic: 1 × 50 mL
I = mL
6.IV fluids & fluid balanceHard
1000 mL125 mL/hstart 11:3018:30: ? mL

Practice exercise (made-up values, not clinical guidance). A 1000 mL bag was started at 11:30 and runs by pump at 125 mL/h. How many mL V are left in the bag at 18:30?

1000 mL125 mL/h11:30 → 18:30
V = mL

3Solutions

1.Pediatric nursing

Answer: D · Give glucagon and call emergency services

Why this is the answer

An unconscious child cannot swallow safely, so glucagon is given by injection or nasal spray, the child is placed in the recovery position and emergency help is called. Once awake and able to swallow, carbohydrate is given.

Answer

D · Give glucagon and call emergency services
2.Pediatric nursing

Answer: C · Mumps orchitis, a known complication after puberty

Why this is the answer

Orchitis is a common complication of mumps in males after puberty, usually a few days after the parotid swelling. It is painful and, rarely, reduces fertility. Supportive care includes analgesia and scrotal support.

Answer

C · Mumps orchitis, a known complication after puberty
3.Pediatric & critical-care dosing

Answer: R = 31.2 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

15·104 = 1 560 units/h

Concentration

25 000/500 = 50 units/mL

Pump rate

R = 1560/50 = 31.2 mL/h

Answer

R = 31.2 mL/h
4.Pediatric & critical-care dosing

Answer: D = 1.3 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

400 000/250 = 1600 mcg/mL

Micrograms per minute

5·1600 = 8000 mcg/h
8000/60 = 133.3 mcg/min

Per kilogram

D = 133.3/104 = 1.282 ≈ 1.3 mcg/kg/min

Answer

D = 1.3 mcg/kg/min
5.IV fluids & fluid balance

Answer: I = 1420 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 + 240 + 240 = 720 mL
ice chips: 100/2 = 50 mL
IV infusion: 75·8 = 600 mL
IV antibiotic: 1·50 = 50 mL
I = 1420 mL

Answer

I = 1420 mL
6.IV fluids & fluid balance

Answer: V = 125 mL

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.

Elapsed time

11:30 → 18:30 = 7 h

Volume infused

125·7 = 875 mL

Volume left

V = 1000 − 875 = 125 mL

Answer

V = 125 mL

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