What is the first step in calculating the rate of infusion for a patient prescribed 1000 mL of IV normal saline to run over 12 hours?

Calculating the hourly volume of normal saline is indeed the logical first step in determining the rate of infusion for a patient. To calculate the rate of infusion, you would need to find out how many milliliters the patient will receive each hour over the total duration of the infusion time.

In this scenario, where 1000 mL is to be administered over 12 hours, you would divide the total volume by the total hours to get the hourly rate. This means taking 1000 mL and dividing it by 12 hours, resulting in approximately 83.3 mL per hour. Establishing this hourly rate is crucial as it lays the foundation for any further calculations, such as converting mL per hour to drops per minute if needed for setting the IV drip rate.

The other options, while related to the process of calculating the infusion rate, do not serve as the initial step. For example, converting total volume to drops can only occur after the hourly volume is established, and simply measuring the initial fluid level in the bag does not directly assist in calculating the necessary infusion rate. Determining the total number of hours for infusion is also necessary, but it is implicit in the task since it has already been provided as a part