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for Fixed Concentration Medicated Infusions

Table of Contents

1. Introduction
   1. Important Disclaimer
2. Medication Table
3. Drip Rate -- Dose Tables
4. Technical Stuff

1. Introduction

The Fixed Concentration Medicated Infusions calculator program is designed to quickly generate printouts to help the clinician in emergency and critical situations. At the bottom of the window, the user enters the patient's name, the patient's weight, and a user "signature." Then, clicking on any cell in the Solution column of the table will generate a drip sheet for the corresponding medicated infusion based on preprogrammed parameters.

The References button will open a window with some drug information, pharmacy procedures, nursing procedures, and some discussion of the "rule-of-six" compared to fixed concentrations. The Help button will bring up this window. The Reset button will clear all input fields and return the defaults. This is the recommended method for entering data for a different patient. The Close Window button does just that.

Important Disclaimer: All calculations must be confirmed. This program is not a substitute for clinical judgement. There are no claims, explicit or implied, of the accuracy of any of the data or information provided

2. Medication Table

1. Patient Data Form. If not already entered from the patient data input page, fill in the required data in the form at the top: patient's name, patient's weight, and the user's "signature." If the patient's weight is in pounds, select "lbs" and the weight will be converted for the calculations. Enter your initials in the signature box.
2. Medication Table. The Medication Table lists most of the medicated infusions made by Pharmacy. Scroll down the page and find the desired medication.
3. Concentration and Units. The Medication Table lists all the concentrations commonly made by Pharmacy. This list is syncronized with the Smart Pump library. (Under certain circumstances, other concentrations can be made. Please call Pharmacy for special requests.) The concentration (and units) are listed from lowest to highest concentration on a per mL basis.
4. Solution. The fourth column lists the solution by how it is compounded: the amount of medication in the volume of fluid. This listing is intended to aid the prescriber in ordering the medication. The entry in this column is also the link that opens a new window with the Drip Rate -- Dose Table. You can generate multiple tables (different concentrations of the same drug or even different drugs) for your patient by simply clicking on the different solution entries. Multiple solution entries in the same cell represent different volumes of the same concentration. Pick the solution that will approximate the volume that will be used in a 24-hour period.
   
   See below for more information regarding the Drip Rate -- Dose Tables.
   
   
5. Diluent. The default diluent that the Pharmacy uses is listed in this column. Some medications can be diluted in a different fluid if the patient requires it. Please contact the Pharmacy for special requests.
6. Line. Some medications at certain concentrations must be delivered via a central venous catheter and this is indicated by the designation of "Central" in this column. A "P" indicates that concentration can be administered via a peripheral line. A blank cell indicates that there is no data.
7. Note. "Premix" indicates that solution is commercially available and therefore expires after 72-hours. "Premade" indicates local manufacture/compounding with a 24-hour expiration time. A blank cell indicates that it is compounded in the Pharmacy with a standard expiration time.
8. Minimum Dose. The data in this cell indicates the usual minimum dose for this medication.
9. Maximum Dose. The data in this cell indicates the usual minimum dose for this medication. This information is used to establish the range of values displayed on the Drip Rate - Dose Table.
10. Units. This column indicates the units that are used to dose this medication.
    

3. Drip Rate -- Dose Table

The table consists of a header that contains information about the medication and the patient.

1. Medication Name. Both the generic name and the trade name appears, the latter in parentheses.
2. Patient Name, Patient Weight, and user Signature appear on the next line.
3. Concentration and Date. The amount of medication and the volume into which it is diluted is specified, as well as the diluent used. The final concentration per mL appears in parentheses. The date of printout appears on the right side of this line.
4. Table. The table relate three numbers: the infusion rate (mL/hr), the dosing rate per kg (e.g. mcg/kg/min or mg/kg/hr), and the absolute dosing rate (e.g. mcg/min or mg/hr). The dosing rate is in increments that are set by logic built into the table for each medication. For example:
   
   

   Rate ml/hr	Dose mcg/kg/min	Dose mcg/min
   0.75 = 1.5 = 2.25 = 3 =	1  2  3  4	10 20 30 40

   The size of the table, in terms of the number of lines of data presented, is based on the increments set for that medication and the maximum dose rate listed on the table. All calculations are rounded off to 3 significant digits.
   

5. Footer. The bottom of the page gives the required disclaimer. The dates created and revised refers to the form of the table, not the content.

6. Buttons. If the preview is satisfactory, click on the "Print this page" button. After printing starts, the window can be closed by clicking on the "Close window " button.

4. Technical Stuff

All calculations must be confirmed. This program is not a substitute for clinical judgement nor are the references a substitute for an understanding of the drugs. There are no claims, explicit or implied, of the accuracy of any of the data or information.

None of the data you enter on these forms are transmitted across the network or the Internet.

These calculators are written in JavaScript version 1.2 and is most compatible with the Netscape implementation of JavaScript in Navigator/Communicator 4.0 or higher.

Copyright © 2000-2011.
Steven Pon, MD, Weill Medical College of Cornell University. All rights reserved.

Created: January 5, 2000. Edited: December 8, 2011.