Question

A postoperative patient is transferred from the postanesthesia unit to the medical-surgical nursing floor. The nurse notes that the patient has an order for D5½ NS to infuse at 125 ml/hr. Until an IV pump is available, the nurse regulates the IV flow rate at which of the following drops (gtts)/min, noting that the tubing has a drop factor of 10 drops/ml?

1) 13 gtts/min
2) 31 gtts/min
3) 25 gtts/min
4) 21 gtts/min

Answer 1

To calculate the IV flow rate in gtts/min with a prescribed rate of 125 ml/hr and a drop factor of 10 drops/ml, use the formula (125 ml/hr) × (10 drops/ml) / (60 min/hr) to get approximately 21 gtts/min.

Step-by-step explanation:

The question asks to calculate the IV flow rate in drops per minute (gtts/min) given that the drop factor is 10 drops/ml and the desired rate is 125 ml/hr. To find the flow rate in gtts/min, you can use the formula: (desired rate in ml/hr) × (drop factor in gtts/ml) / (60 minutes/hr).

So, for a desired rate of 125 ml/hr and a drop factor of 10 drops/ml, the calculation would be (125 × 10) / 60, which equals 20.83 gtts/min. Since IV pumps usually do not allow decimal places, the nurse should regulate the IV flow rate to 21 gtts/min to come as close to the ordered rate as possible without exceeding it.

Here's the mathematical breakdown:

(125 ml/hr) × (10 gtts/ml) / (60 minutes/hr) = 1,250 gtts/hr / 60 minutes/hr = 20.83 gtts/min ≈ 21 gtts/min