Question

The patient is ordered 1800 cc D5RL over twelve hours. The tubing has a drop factor of 15. What is the drip rate of this IV?

Answer 1

The drip rate for the IV with an order of 1800 cc D5RL over twelve hours and a drop factor of 15 is 3.75 gtt/min.

Step-by-step explanation:

To calculate the drip rate for an IV, you can use the following formula:

(Volume in cc) / (Time in hours) × (Drop factor) = Drip rate in gtt/min

For the patient ordered 1800 cc D5RL over twelve hours and tubing with a drop factor of 15, the calculation would be:

((1800 cc) / (12 hours)) × (15 gtt/cc) = 225 gtt/min

Divide 225 by 60 to get the rate per minute:

225 gtt/min ÷ 60 = 3.75 gtt/min

Therefore, the drip rate of this IV is 3.75 gtt/min.