If a nurse is to infuse a 2000 mL IV of 0.45% sodium chloride over 8 hours, what should the IV pump be set to deliver per hour?

To determine the correct infusion rate for the IV pump, the total volume of the IV solution and the time over which it needs to be infused must be considered.

In this case, a total volume of 2000 mL needs to be infused over 8 hours. To find the hourly rate, divide the total volume by the number of hours.

Calculating this gives:

2000 mL ÷ 8 hours = 250 mL/hr.

This calculation indicates that the IV pump should be set to deliver 250 mL per hour. This ensures that the entire volume of 2000 mL will be administered over the 8-hour period as intended.

This understanding is fundamental in nursing practice, as accurately calculating infusion rates is crucial for patient safety and effective medication delivery. Therefore, setting the IV pump to 250 mL/hr is the correct approach to meet the therapeutic need.