Final answer:
The drip rate for the vancomycin infusion using macro tubing at 15 gtt/ml over 2 hours is approximately 26 drops per minute (gtt/min), calculated by dividing the total volume of the solution by the total infusion time in minutes and multiplying by the drip factor.
Step-by-step explanation:
To calculate the drip rate for a gravity infusion using macro tubing rated at 15 gtt/ml, we first determine the total volume of the solution to be infused. In this situation, 250ml of D5W needs to be infused over 2 hours. The formula for calculating the drip rate in drops per minute (gtt/min) is:
Total Volume (ml) × Drip Factor (gtt/ml) / Time (min) = Drip Rate (gtt/min)
Using the given values, the calculation becomes:
250 ml × 15 gtt/ml / (2 hours × 60 minutes/hour) = 3125 / 120 = 26.04 gtt/min
The drip rate would be approximately 26 gtt/min when rounding to the nearest whole number. It is crucial that health professionals calculate infusion rates accurately to ensure patient safety and the therapeutic effectiveness of medications like vancomycin.