Calculating Fentanyl Infusion Rate

A 62-year-old patient with a history of chronic pain secondary to osteoarthritis is being admitted to the hospital for uncontrolled pain management. The healthcare provider prescribes a continuous intravenous infusion of fentanyl at a rate of 50 micrograms per hour. The pharmacy sends an infusion bag containing 250 micrograms of fentanyl in 500 mL of normal saline. The nurse needs to calculate the infusion rate in milliliters per hour to ensure accurate delivery of the medication.

Please fill in the blank with the correct infusion rate:

The infusion rate in mL/hr is __________.