An 800 gram infant has a UAC line running NS at 1 mL/hr. NS contains 0.154 mEq/mL of Na. How many mEq of sodium does this infant receive in 24 hours from this infusion?

An 800 gram infant has a UAC line running NS at 1 mL/hr. NS contains 0.154 mEq/mL of Na. How many mEq of sodium does this infant receive in 24 hours from this infusion?

• A. 3.696 mEq
• B. 0.3696 mEq
• C. 0.8 mEq
• D. 24 mEq

Answer: (A)

Sodium delivered from IV fluids is found by multiplying the solution’s sodium concentration by the total volume infused. The infant receives 1 mL per hour, so over 24 hours the volume is 24 mL. With a sodium concentration of 0.154 mEq per mL, the total sodium is 0.154 × 24 = 3.696 mEq. Therefore, the infusion provides 3.696 mEq of sodium in 24 hours. The weight isn’t needed here since this is a straightforward concentration × volume calculation.

Sodium delivered from IV fluids is found by multiplying the solution’s sodium concentration by the total volume infused. The infant receives 1 mL per hour, so over 24 hours the volume is 24 mL. With a sodium concentration of 0.154 mEq per mL, the total sodium is 0.154 × 24 = 3.696 mEq. Therefore, the infusion provides 3.696 mEq of sodium in 24 hours. The weight isn’t needed here since this is a straightforward concentration × volume calculation.