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

In a large ventricular septal defect, in which direction does blood mainly flow through the defect?

  1. AFrom right to left, causing cyanosis from birth
  2. BThere is no flow at all, because the pressures in both ventricles are always equal
  3. CFrom left to right, increasing blood flow to the lungs
  4. DFrom the aorta into the pulmonary veins
2.Pediatric nursingHard

After surgery for a perforated appendix, why is a child often nursed in a semi-upright position?

  1. ATo prevent the child from sleeping too deeply
  2. BTo help infected fluid collect in the pelvis rather than spread upwards
  3. CTo make it easier for the child to watch television
  4. DTo stop the wound drain from removing fluid too fast during the first day
3.Pediatric & critical-care dosingMedium
heparin 5 000 units/mL80 units/kg · 71 kg → V = ? mL

Practice exercise (made-up values, not clinical guidance). A practice protocol calls for a heparin bolus of 80 units/kg for a patient who weighs 71 kg. The vial contains 5 000 units/mL. What volume V do you draw up? Round to one decimal place.

80 units/kg71 kg5 000 units/mL
V = mL
4.Pediatric & critical-care dosingHard
800 mg500 mLdopamine? mL/h87 kg5 mcg/kg/min

Practice exercise (made-up values, not clinical guidance). A bag contains dopamine 800 mg in 500 mL. The order is 5 mcg/kg/min for a patient who weighs 87 kg. At what rate R do you set the pump, in mL/h? Round to one decimal place.

800 mg/500 mL5 mcg/kg/min87 kg
R = mL/h
5.IV fluids & fluid balanceMedium
IntakeOutput12-hour shiftwater200 mLsoup150 mLice chips240 mLIV infusion60 mL/h × 12 hIV antibiotic2 × 100 mLurine300 mLurine375 mLurine275 mLwound drain130 mL

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 58 kg. Find the average urine output U in mL/kg/h. Round to two decimal places.

58 kg12 hurine: 300 mLurine: 375 mLurine: 275 mLwound drain: 130 mL
U = mL/kg/h
6.IV fluids & fluid balanceHard
1000 mL250 mL infused150 mL/h19:00t = ? h

Practice exercise (made-up values, not clinical guidance). A 1000 mL bag runs by pump at 150 mL/h. At 19:00, 250 mL have already been infused. How many hours t until the bag is empty? Round to one decimal place.

1000 mL250 mL infused150 mL/h
t = h

3Solutions

1.Pediatric nursing

Answer: C · From left to right, increasing blood flow to the lungs

Why this is the answer

Left ventricular pressure is higher, so blood flows from left to right, overloading the lungs and right heart. This causes increased pulmonary blood flow and can lead to heart failure in infancy.

Answer

C · From left to right, increasing blood flow to the lungs
2.Pediatric nursing

Answer: B · To help infected fluid collect in the pelvis rather than spread upwards

Why this is the answer

A semi-upright position helps any infected fluid drain towards the pelvis, where an abscess is easier to manage, rather than tracking under the diaphragm. It also eases breathing and coughing after abdominal surgery.

Answer

B · To help infected fluid collect in the pelvis rather than spread upwards
3.Pediatric & critical-care dosing

Answer: V = 1.1 mL

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 needed

80·71 = 5 680 units

Volume

V = 5680/5000 = 1.136 ≈ 1.1 mL

Answer

V = 1.1 mL
4.Pediatric & critical-care dosing

Answer: R = 16.3 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

5·87 = 435 mcg/min
435·60 = 26100 mcg/h

Pump rate

R = 26100/1600 = 16.31 ≈ 16.3 mL/h

Answer

R = 16.3 mL/h
5.IV fluids & fluid balance

Answer: U = 1.36 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

300 + 375 + 275 = 950 mL

Per kilogram per hour

U = 950/(58·12) = 1.365 ≈ 1.36 mL/kg/h

Answer

U = 1.36 mL/kg/h
6.IV fluids & fluid balance

Answer: t = 5 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 − 250 = 750 mL

Time

t = 750/150 = 5 h

Answer

t = 5 h

That is about 5 h 00 min, so the bag runs out at about 00:00.

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