Calculate the 24 hours requirements for five people in you care and document in the table below.

Body Weight Calculations

Consider two patients in your care that have had the total protein and albumin checked as part of their electrolyte/biochemistry profile. Obtain their results, calculate a MUST score and their BMI. What does it tell you about their nutritional status? Record this information below
Total Protein

Albumin

MUST Score

BMI

Analysis

Fluid Calculation

A healthy adult, under normal conditions requires approx. 2.5L/day of fluid. This is to replace fluid lost through faeces, the respiratory tract, perspiration (diaphoresis) and urine. In the ill patient, maintenance fluids are usually prescribed to account for increases in insensible losses (faeces, respiration, perspiration) therefore usually around 2-3 litres daily is administered.

Each fluid prescription is influenced by the patient’s medical history, age, confounding water excess (e.g. CCF) and ongoing assessment: i.e. the prescription of fluid must be specific to the patient’s needs and the nurse must be sure that the administration of these fluids will not compromise the person in any respect.

The following formulae are used to determine individual fluid requirements:

Fluid
35ml/kg/day
Or
4ml/kg/hr for first 10kg + 2ml/kg/hr for each of next 10kgs + 1ml/kg/hr for each kg above 20kg.

Electrolytes
Sodium:          1 mmol/kg/day
Potassium:     1 mmol/kg/day

Replacement fluids are given to correct a volume or electrolyte imbalance. However, it is always important to determine and treat the underlying cause. Critically ill patients are often unable to consume the additional fluid required to replace the lost fluid and so intravenous fluids are required.

Calculate the 24 hours requirements for five people in you care and document in the table below:

Weight (in Kg)

Fluid Requirement (in ml)

Potassium Requirement

Sodium Requirement

3a Drug Calculations:

8 Enteral Drug (Tablet/Capsule) calculation
e.g Paracetamol

Dose Prescribed
e.g 1g

Dose each unit is supplied in
e.g 500mg

Number needed for prescribed dose
e.g. 2 tablets

Show Calculation
e.g 500mg x 2 = 1g

3b. 5 Enteral Drug (Liquid/Suspension) calculation

Enteral Drug (Liquid/Suspension)
e.g. Amoxicillin

Dose Prescribed
e.g, 500mg

Dose each unit is supplied in
e.g. 250mg in 5 ml

Amount needed for prescribed dose
e.g.10ml

Show Calculation
e.g.250mg x 2 = 500mg
250mg in 5ml, 5ml x 2 = 10ml

3c. 3 Parenteral Drugs (Injections) calculations

Parenteral Drugs (Injections)
e.g Haloperidol

Dose Prescribed
e.g. 2 mg

Dose each unit is supplied in
e.g. 5 mg in 1 ml

Amount needed for prescribed dose
e.g. 0.4 ml

Show Calculation
If 5mg in 1ml, 1mg in 0.2ml. 2mg = 0.2ml x 2 = 0.4ml

3d. 3 Parenteral Drugs (Intravenous Infusions)

Parenteral Drugs (Intravenous Infusions)
e.g Sodium Chloride 0.9%

Dose Prescribed
e.g. 1l over 10 hours

Dose each unit is supplied in
e.g. 500 ml

No. of units needed and rate of infusion
e.g. 2 units, 100ml per hour

Show Calculation
e.g. 500ml x 2 = 1l

3e. 2 Parenteral Drugs (Inhaled)

Parenteral Drugs (Inhaled)
e.g Salbutamol

Dose Prescribed
e.g. 200 mcg daily twice daily

Dose each unit is supplied in
e.g. 100 mcg

Numbers of inhalations needed daily
e.g. 2 inhalations twice daily

Show Calculation
e.g. 100 mcg x 2 = 200Mcg

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