Question

The physician ordered 700 ml of a special electrolyte solution to flow at 75 gtt/min. The drop factor is 15 gtt/ml. How long will it take to infuse in hours and minutes?

a. 1 hour and 33 minutes
b. 1 hour and 45 minutes
c. 2 hours and 15 minutes
d. 2 hours and 30 minutes

Answer 1

To determine the infusion time for 700 ml of an electrolyte solution at an infusion rate of 75 gtt/min, calculate the flow rate in ml/min using the given drop factor, then divide the volume by this new flow rate. The correct infusion time is 2 hours and 20 minutes, which is not an option in the provided choices.

Step-by-step explanation:

Calculating Infusion Time

The question asks us to calculate how long it will take to infuse 700 ml of an electrolyte solution at an infusion rate of 75 gtt/min with a drop factor of 15 gtt/ml. To find the time in hours and minutes, we can use the formula: Time (min) = Volume (ml) / (Flow rate (gtt/min) / Drop factor (gtt/ml)). Let's calculate the time:

1. First, find the flow rate in ml/min using the drop factor:
2. Flow rate = 75 gtt/min / 15 gtt/ml = 5 ml/min.
3. Next, calculate the total time to infuse 700 ml:
4. Time = Volume / Flow rate = 700 ml / 5 ml/min = 140 minutes.
5. Convert 140 minutes to hours and minutes:
6. Hours = 140 min / 60 min/hr = 2 hours.
7. Minutes = 140 min % 60 min/hr = 20 minutes.

Therefore, the infusion will take 2 hours and 20 minutes.

However, this time frame is not listed among the provided answer choices, suggesting a possible error or discrepancy in the question.