Question

Order: NS 1200 mL stat for 10 hours Because the drop factor is 30 gtt/mL, initial flow was correctly set at 60 gtt/min. After 6 hours, 600 mL remain to be infused. The infusionist behind schedule. Compute the new flow rate in gtt/min so that the infusion will be on time/ If the flow rates may not be adjusted by more than 20% of the original rate, would you contact the prescriber instead?

Answer 1

To calculate the new flow rate, divide the remaining volume by the remaining time and multiply by the drop factor. The new flow rate will be 450 gtt/min. Since it exceeds the maximum adjustment limit, you should contact the prescriber.

Step-by-step explanation:

To calculate the new flow rate, we first need to determine the total volume of the solution that needs to be infused. Based on the information given, after 6 hours, 600 mL remain to be infused, so the total volume is 1200 mL - 600 mL = 600 mL. The remaining infusion time is 10 hours - 6 hours = 4 hours.

We can use the formula:
New flow rate (gtt/min) = Remaining volume (mL) / Remaining time (hours) x Drop factor (gtt/mL)

Plugging in the values:
New flow rate = 600 mL / 4 hours x 30 gtt/mL = 450 gtt/min

Since the new flow rate exceeds the maximum adjustment limit of 20% of the original rate (60 gtt/min), you should contact the prescriber to discuss the situation and determine the appropriate course of action.