A nurse is preparing to administer 1,000 mL of lactated Ringer's IV over 6 hr. The drop factor of the manual IV tubing is 10 gtt/mL. The nurse should set the manual IV infusion to deliver how many gtt/min? (Round the answer to the nearest whole number. Use a leading zero if it applies. Do not use a trailing zero.)

A) Respirations rate:
Respiratory rate is an important vital sign to monitor in patients with shock, as respiratory distress can indicate inadequate oxygenation. However, blood pressure is generally considered more critical to assess initially in the context of shock because it directly reflects tissue perfusion and oxygen delivery.

B) Heart rate:
Heart rate is an important vital sign to monitor in patients with shock, as tachycardia (rapid heart rate) may indicate the body's compensatory response to maintain cardiac output and tissue perfusion. However, blood pressure is generally considered more critical to assess initially in the context of shock because it directly reflects tissue perfusion and oxygen delivery.

C) Blood pressure.
In shock, the body's vital organs are not receiving adequate blood flow and oxygen, leading to a life-threatening condition. While all vital signs are important to monitor in a patient experiencing shock, blood pressure is typically considered the most critical because it reflects the perfusion pressure—the force driving blood through the circulatory system to deliver oxygen and nutrients to the body's tissues. A decrease in blood pressure can indicate inadequate tissue perfusion and impending organ failure. Therefore, timely assessment and monitoring of blood pressure are essential for identifying and managing shock effectively.

D) Temperature:
Temperature monitoring is important in assessing for signs of infection or other systemic issues that may contribute to shock, such as sepsis. However, blood pressure is generally considered more critical to assess initially in the context of shock because it directly reflects tissue perfusion and oxygen delivery.

To administer the correct dose of valproic acid, which is 500 mg, when the available oral solution concentration is 250 mg per 5 mL, the nurse needs to calculate the volume of the solution required.

The calculation is as follows: (500 mg) / (250 mg/5 mL) = 2 x 5 mL = 10 mL.

Therefore, the nurse should administer 10 mL of the valproic acid oral solution to deliver a dose of 500 mg.