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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 with suspected measles is admitted. Which precaution is most important?
ANo special precautions once the rash appears
BDroplet precautions in a shared bay
CContact precautions only, with gloves
DAirborne precautions, ideally in a negative-pressure room
2.Pediatric nursingHard
A child on chemotherapy for leukaemia was in close contact with a classmate who has chickenpox. What should the nurse do?
AWait to see whether a rash develops before acting
BGive the live varicella vaccine to the child that same day to boost immunity
CTell the oncology team at once, as preventive treatment may be needed
DReassure the family, as chickenpox is mild in all children
3.Pediatric & critical-care dosingMedium
Practice exercise (made-up values, not clinical guidance). An infusion of 250 units of regular insulin in 250 mL runs at 15 mL/h. How many units per hour D does the patient receive?
250 units/250 mL15 mL/h
D = units/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 36 mL/h. The patient weighs 83 kg. What dose D in mcg/kg/min is the patient receiving? Round to one decimal place.
500 mg/250 mL36 mL/h83 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 fluid balance B = intake − output in mL (a negative answer means a net loss). Count ice chips as half their volume.
Practice exercise (made-up values, not clinical guidance). A 1000 mL bag runs by pump at 50 mL/h. At 16:00, 200 mL have already been infused. How many hours t until the bag is empty? Round to one decimal place.
1000 mL200 mL infused50 mL/h
t = h
3Solutions
1.Pediatric nursing
Answer: D · Airborne precautions, ideally in a negative-pressure room
Why this is the answer
Measles spreads through the air and can remain in a room for up to about 2 hours. Airborne precautions, a negative-pressure room where available and immune staff are required.
Answer
D · Airborne precautions, ideally in a negative-pressure room
2.Pediatric nursing
Answer: C · Tell the oncology team at once, as preventive treatment may be needed
Why this is the answer
In immunosuppressed children, chickenpox can cause severe pneumonia, hepatitis and encephalitis. After exposure, the team may give varicella-zoster immunoglobulin or antivirals. Live varicella vaccine is not given during chemotherapy.
Answer
C · Tell the oncology team at once, as preventive treatment may be needed
3.Pediatric & critical-care dosing
Answer: D = 15 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
250/250 = 1 units/mL
Units per hour
D = 15·1 = 15 units/h
Answer
D = 15 units/h
4.Pediatric & critical-care dosing
Answer: D = 14.5 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
36·2000 = 72000 mcg/h
72000/60 = 1200 mcg/min
Per kilogram
D = 1200/83 = 14.46 ≈ 14.5 mcg/kg/min
Answer
D = 14.5 mcg/kg/min
5.IV fluids & fluid balance
Answer: B = 265 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.
Total intake
oral: 200 + 150 + 200 = 550 mL
ice chips: 240/2 = 120 mL
IV infusion: 60·12 = 720 mL
IV antibiotic: 1·100 = 100 mL
total intake = 1490 mL
Total output
325 + 225 + 500 + 175 = 1225 mL
Balance
B = 1490 − 1225 = 265 mL
Answer
B = 265 mL
Positive: more fluid went in than came out.
6.IV fluids & fluid balance
Answer: t = 16 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
1000 − 200 = 800 mL
Time
t = 800/50 = 16 h
Answer
t = 16 h
That is about 16 h 00 min, so the bag runs out at about 08:00.