What is the approximate pump rate in mm/minute for administering 1000 mL of D51/2NS over 8 hours?

To determine the pump rate in milliliters per minute for administering 1000 mL of D51/2NS over a duration of 8 hours, first, we need to convert the time from hours to minutes. Since there are 60 minutes in an hour, 8 hours is equivalent to 8 x 60, which equals 480 minutes.

Next, to find the pump rate, you divide the total volume (1000 mL) by the total time in minutes (480 minutes):

[ \text{Pump Rate} = \frac{\text{Total Volume}}{\text{Total Time}} = \frac{1000 , \text{mL}}{480 , \text{minutes}} ]

Calculating this gives:

[ \text{Pump Rate} \approx 2.08 , \text{mL/min} ]

When rounding this number to the nearest appropriate value, the closest is 2 mL/min.

This result is a practical application of calculating infusion rates in clinical settings and is essential for safely administering intravenous fluids. The correct answer reflects an accurate understanding of the calculations involved in determining how quickly a medication or fluid should be delivered over a specified time frame.