What’s Dopamine?

Dopamine IV Drip Calculation Practice

-It’s a beta adrenergic agonist that acts as I will be using dimensional analysis to solve
a vasopressor that has positive inotropic these problems and will be rounding to the
effects nearest tenth. Always follow your nursing
program’s rounding rules.

-Since Dopamine is a vasopressor it Question 1:

causes vasoconstriction.
A patient is ordered to start an IV Dopamine
drip at 10 mcg/kg/min. The patient weighs 55
-Vasoconstriction narrows vessels, which is kg. You have a bag of Dopamine that reads 800
really helpful with increasing the blood mg/500 mL. What will you set the IV pump rate
pressure, systemic vascular resistance, and at (mL/hr)?
cardiac output. In addition, due to its
positive inotropic effects, it increases heart
contractility which causes the heart to pump
Important information to know:
stronger.
Patient’s weight: 55 kg
NOTE: Dopamine can dilate the vessels to
the kidneys in low doses (0.5-3 Dose: 10 mcg/kg/min
mcg/kg/min). This will increase the blood
Available: 800 mg/ 500 mL
flow to the kidneys. However, in high
doses (>10 mcg/kg/min) it can actually lead What we’re solving for? mL/hr
to constriction of the renal vessels. So,
in LOW doses it can help with increasing
urinary output. 55 kg x 10 mcg/min x 1 mg x 500 mL =
Nurse’s Role: 275,000 = 0.34375 mL/min

• patient must be on continuous EKG and blood

pressure monitoring (this medication can
1 1 kg 1,000 mcg 800 mg
majorly increase the heart rate and blood
800,000
pressure)

• monitor urinary output (should be >30 mL/hr)

Not done yet, we need to convert from minutes
• monitor infusion site (central line the best to
to hours because we need to find mL/hr:
use) Why?
60 minutes x 0.34375 mL = 20.625 = 20.6
mL/hr
If extravasation occurs (where the medication
1 hour 1 minute
leaks into the surrounding tissues), tissue
ischemia and necrosis can occur…remember Answer: 20.6 mL/hr
Dopamine is a vasoconstrictor. If this happens,
Phentolamine (Regitine) can be administered to
reverse the effects. This medication causes
vasodilation.
Heparin Drip Calculation
Problems
These practice problems for heparin drip
calculations will test your ability to calculate:

-new flow rate (mL/hr) based on a PTT

-determining the amount of units needed for a

bolus

-units/hr to infuse based on the physician’s

order

-how to convert units/kg/hr to determine the

amount of Heparin the patient will be receiving
based on their weight

Heparin Drips Calculations:

How to Solve
Problem 1:

The MD orders your patient to start an

IV Heparin drip at 12 units/kg/hr and to
administer a loading bolus dose of 60
units/kg IV before initiation of the drip.
You’re supplied with a Heparin bag that
reads 25,000 units/250 mL. The patient
weighs 189 lbs. What is the flow rate
you will set the IV pump at (mL/hr)?

First, determine what you are solving

for: flow rate (mL/hr)