Order: dobutamine 5 mcg/kg/min

Patient's weight: 152 lb

Available: dobutamine 500 mg in 250 mL D5W

What is the flow rate in ml/hr? (Round to the nearest tenths)

A) Social Media:
Social media is not a reliable source for evaluating medication information. Although patients may share their experiences, the information on social media can be anecdotal, unverified, and often lacks scientific evidence. Medical professionals should avoid using social media as a reference for clinical decision-making and instead rely on trusted, evidence-based resources.

B) Wikipedia:
While Wikipedia may offer general overviews of various medications, it is a crowdsourced platform and not a peer-reviewed or professional resource. The information on Wikipedia can be edited by anyone, which raises concerns about accuracy and reliability. While useful for a quick overview, it is not recommended for in-depth medication information or clinical decision-making.

C) Physicians' Desk Reference (PDR):
The Physicians' Desk Reference (PDR) is a well-established, reliable resource for medication information. It includes detailed drug monographs, including indications, dosing, contraindications, adverse effects, and drug interactions. Although it is often considered more of a reference for healthcare providers, it is a trusted and authoritative source for accurate medication information.

D) Lexicomp:
Lexicomp is an evidence-based, reputable resource that provides comprehensive drug information, including dosage recommendations, side effects, interactions, and clinical guidelines. It is frequently used by healthcare providers for decision-making in clinical practice and is considered highly reliable.

E) Micromedex:
Micromedex is another reliable, evidence-based drug information database widely used in healthcare settings. It provides drug monographs, information on drug interactions, adverse effects, and clinical recommendations, making it an essential tool for clinical decision-making.

F) American Hospital Formulary Service (AHFS) Drug Information:
The American Hospital Formulary Service (AHFS) is a trusted source of drug information that is used by healthcare providers to obtain reliable, evidence-based data. It includes detailed monographs on prescription drugs, over-the-counter medications, and other therapeutic agents, which are useful for clinicians when assessing treatment options.

Given:

Ordered dose of phenobarbital: 6 mg/kg/day divided equally every 12 hours

Patient weight: 44 lbs

Concentration of phenobarbital elixir: 20 mg/5 mL

Step 1: Convert patient weight from pounds to kilograms:

1 pound (lb) = 0.453592 kilograms (kg)

Patient weight in kg = 44 lbs x 0.453592 kg/lb = 19.958 kg

Step 2: Calculate the total daily dose of phenobarbital:

Total daily dose (mg) = Ordered dose (mg/kg/day) x Patient weight (kg)

Total daily dose (mg) = 6 mg/kg/day x 19.958 kg

Total daily dose (mg) = 119.748 mg/day

Step 3: Calculate the dose per administration:

Dose per administration (mg) = Total daily dose (mg) / Number of administrations per day

Dose per administration (mg) = 119.748 mg/day / 2 administrations/day

Dose per administration (mg) = 59.874 mg

Step 4: Calculate the volume to be administered per dose:

Volume (mL) = Dose per administration (mg) / Concentration (mg/mL)

Volume (mL) = 59.874 mg / (20 mg/5 mL)

Volume (mL) = 59.874 mg x (5 mL / 20 mg)

Volume (mL) = 14.9685 mL

Step 5: Round to the nearest whole number:

Volume (mL) ≈ 15 mL