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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
At about what age do most children understand that death is permanent and happens to everyone?
ANot until about 18 years
BAbout 9 to 10 years
CAbout 2 years
DAbout 4 years
2.Pediatric nursingHard
A 3-year-old who was toilet trained starts wetting the bed during a hospital stay. The parents are worried. What should the nurse say?
ARegression is a common response to the stress of hospital and usually passes; do not punish the child
BThe child is being naughty and should be told off
CThe child should be put back into nappies permanently, and toilet training should not be tried again for years
DThis proves the child has a serious kidney disease
3.Pediatric & critical-care dosingMedium
Practice exercise (made-up values, not clinical guidance). A bag contains 25 000 units of heparin in 250 mL. The order is 12 units/kg/h for a patient who weighs 85 kg. At what rate R do you set the pump, in mL/h? Round to one decimal place.
25 000 units/250 mL12 units/kg/h85 kg
R = mL/h
4.Pediatric & critical-care dosingHard
Practice exercise (made-up values, not clinical guidance). A dobutamine infusion of 250 mg in 250 mL runs at 29 mL/h. The patient weighs 90 kg. What dose D in mcg/kg/min is the patient receiving? Round to one decimal place.
250 mg/250 mL29 mL/h90 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 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.
water: 150 mLtea: 200 mLice chips: 200 mLIV infusion: 80 mL/h × 8 hIV antibiotic: 2 × 50 mL
I = mL
6.IV fluids & fluid balanceHard
Practice exercise (made-up values, not clinical guidance). A 500 mL bag was started at 07:30 and runs by pump at 50 mL/h. How many mL V are left in the bag at 14:00?
500 mL50 mL/h07:30 → 14:00
V = mL
3Solutions
1.Pediatric nursing
Answer: B · About 9 to 10 years
Why this is the answer
By about 9–10 years most children understand that death is irreversible, universal and has a biological cause. Younger children may see it as temporary or as a punishment.
Answer
B · About 9 to 10 years
2.Pediatric nursing
Answer: A · Regression is a common response to the stress of hospital and usually passes; do not punish the child
Why this is the answer
Temporary regression is common in hospitalised young children. Accept it without punishment, keep familiar routines and praise the child; skills usually return after discharge.
Answer
A · Regression is a common response to the stress of hospital and usually passes; do not punish the child
3.Pediatric & critical-care dosing
Answer: R = 10.2 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
12·85 = 1 020 units/h
Concentration
25 000/250 = 100 units/mL
Pump rate
R = 1020/100 = 10.2 mL/h
Answer
R = 10.2 mL/h
4.Pediatric & critical-care dosing
Answer: D = 5.4 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
250 000/250 = 1000 mcg/mL
Micrograms per minute
29·1000 = 29000 mcg/h
29000/60 = 483.3 mcg/min
Per kilogram
D = 483.3/90 = 5.37 ≈ 5.4 mcg/kg/min
Answer
D = 5.4 mcg/kg/min
5.IV fluids & fluid balance
Answer: I = 1190 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: 150 + 200 = 350 mL
ice chips: 200/2 = 100 mL
IV infusion: 80·8 = 640 mL
IV antibiotic: 2·50 = 100 mL
I = 1190 mL
Answer
I = 1190 mL
6.IV fluids & fluid balance
Answer: V = 175 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.