Final answer:
Using the formula for calculating the rate of IV infusion, the solution should be administered at a rate of 25 drops per minute.
Step-by-step explanation:
The task is to determine the rate at which an intravenous (IV) solution should be administered given a medication volume, time for infusion and drop factor. To calculate the number of drops per minute, use the formula:
Drop rate per minute = (Total volume in mL × Drop factor) ÷ Total time in minutes
In this scenario, the total volume is 50 mL, the drop factor is 10 drops/mL, and the time for the infusion is 20 minutes. Plugging these values into the formula, we get:
Drop rate per minute = (50 × 10) ÷ 20
Drop rate per minute = (500) ÷ 20
Drop rate per minute = 25 drops per minute. Therefore, the IV should be set to deliver 25 drops per minute.