What is the required flow rate of a volumetric infusion pump to deliver 500 mL of dextrose 5% over 8 hours? (Answer in mL/h, rounded to the nearest whole number.)

What is the required flow rate of a volumetric infusion pump to deliver 500 mL of dextrose 5% over 8 hours? (Answer in mL/h, rounded to the nearest whole number.)

• A. 62 mL/h
• B. 63 mL/h
• C. 61 mL/h
• D. 60 mL/h

Answer: (B)

The key idea is to find the flow rate by dividing the total volume by the total time. You need to deliver 500 mL over 8 hours, so the rate is 500 ÷ 8 = 62.5 mL per hour. Since the pump rate is required to be a whole number of mL per hour, round to the nearest whole number: 63 mL/h. Using 63 mL/h means you’d deliver about 504 mL in 8 hours (a small extra amount) or, equivalently, reach 500 mL in roughly 7.94 hours. This rounding gives the closest match to the 8-hour target while satisfying the whole-number requirement.

The key idea is to find the flow rate by dividing the total volume by the total time. You need to deliver 500 mL over 8 hours, so the rate is 500 ÷ 8 = 62.5 mL per hour. Since the pump rate is required to be a whole number of mL per hour, round to the nearest whole number: 63 mL/h. Using 63 mL/h means you’d deliver about 504 mL in 8 hours (a small extra amount) or, equivalently, reach 500 mL in roughly 7.94 hours. This rounding gives the closest match to the 8-hour target while satisfying the whole-number requirement.