An order is for 500 mL of 0.9% NaCl to infuse over 4 hours. What rate should be programmed into the infusion pump?

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Multiple Choice

An order is for 500 mL of 0.9% NaCl to infuse over 4 hours. What rate should be programmed into the infusion pump?

Explanation:
Determine how fast to push the fluid by using volume over time. The rate equals the total volume divided by the infusion duration. Here, 500 mL should be delivered in 4 hours. 500 ÷ 4 = 125. So program the pump to deliver 125 mL per hour. The solution’s concentration (0.9% NaCl) doesn’t change this rate calculation; it only tells you what’s in the bag, not how quickly to deliver it. If you used a slower rate, the administration would take longer than 4 hours; a faster rate would finish sooner. So 125 mL per hour matches the requested 4-hour delivery.

Determine how fast to push the fluid by using volume over time. The rate equals the total volume divided by the infusion duration. Here, 500 mL should be delivered in 4 hours. 500 ÷ 4 = 125. So program the pump to deliver 125 mL per hour. The solution’s concentration (0.9% NaCl) doesn’t change this rate calculation; it only tells you what’s in the bag, not how quickly to deliver it. If you used a slower rate, the administration would take longer than 4 hours; a faster rate would finish sooner. So 125 mL per hour matches the requested 4-hour delivery.

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