How should a nurse prepare to administer dopamine hydrochloride at 4 mcg/kg/min for a client weighing 80 kg?

The correct approach is to calculate the infusion rate based on the available solution of 800 mg in a 250 ml bag because this step is crucial for ensuring that the client receives the appropriate dosage of dopamine hydrochloride based on their weight.

To determine the required dosage, it’s important to first convert the weight of the client from kilograms to micrograms. The client weighs 80 kg, so we calculate the total micrograms needed:

80 kg x 4 mcg/kg/min = 320 mcg/min.

Now, considering the available solution, if there are 800 mg of dopamine in the 250 ml bag, we need to convert milligrams into micrograms for accurate calculations. Since 1 mg equals 1000 mcg, 800 mg equals 800,000 mcg.

Next, we find out how many micrograms are present per ml in the 250 ml bag:

800,000 mcg / 250 ml = 3200 mcg/ml.

Now, to find out how many ml would deliver the needed 320 mcg/min, we can set up a proportion:

320 mcg/min ÷ 3200 mcg/ml = 0.1 ml/min.

This rate can then be converted to