Final answer:
To determine the drip factor for setting an IV pump, refer to the IV tubing manufacturer's instructions for the number of drops per milliliter. Then, use the formula (mL/hr) × (drip factor) / 60 to calculate the rate in drops per minute. Adjust the IV pump to the nearest whole number of drops per minute.
Step-by-step explanation:
To determine the drip factor needed to set the IV pump for a continuous infusion at a rate of 50 mL/hr, you would refer to the instructions provided by the manufacturer of the IV tubing. The drip factor is the number of drops per milliliter (drop/mL), which varies depending on the type of IV tubing used. Common drip factors are 10, 15, 20, or 60 drops per mL. Typically, microdrip sets are 60 drops/mL and macrodrip sets can be 10, 15, or 20 drops/mL.
Once you have the drip factor from your IV tubing packaging, you can calculate the drops per minute (gtts/min) that you need to set on your IV pump. This is done by using the formula: (mL/hr) × (drip factor) / 60. For example, if you have a drip factor of 15 drops/mL, you will calculate the necessary drops per minute as follows: (50 mL/hr) × (15 drops/mL) / 60 minutes/hr = 12.5 drops/min. Since IV pumps don't allow for half drops, you would round to the nearest whole number, which would be 13 drops/min in this case.