Question

You have an order to infuse 1 L of 0.9% normal saline over 6 hours. The available tubing has a drop factor of 60 gtt/mL. What is the appropriate gtt/min flow rate for this infusion?

A) 10 gtt/min
B) 15 gtt/min
C) 20 gtt/min
D) 25 gtt/min

Answer 1

To calculate the appropriate gtt/min flow rate for the 1 L infusion of 0.9% normal saline over 6 hours, you can use the formula Gtt/min = (Volume in mL x Drop factor) / Time in minutes. The appropriate gtt/min flow rate for this infusion is 166 gtt/min.

Step-by-step explanation:

To calculate the appropriate gtt/min flow rate for the infusion, you can use the following formula:

Gtt/min = (Volume in mL x Drop factor) / Time in minutes

In this case, the volume is 1000 mL (1 L), the drop factor is 60 gtt/mL, and the time is 6 hours, which is equal to 360 minutes. Plugging these values into the formula, we get:

Gtt/min = (1000 mL x 60 gtt/mL) / 360 minutes = 166.67 gtt/min

Since it's not possible to deliver partial drops, we need to round down to the nearest whole number, which is 166 gtt/min. Therefore, the appropriate gtt/min flow rate for this infusion is 166 gtt/min.