A physician orders 1000 mL IV to be infused over 8 hours. The tubing has a drop factor of 22 gtt/mL. What is the rate in gtt/min?

A physician orders 1000 mL IV to be infused over 8 hours. The tubing has a drop factor of 22 gtt/mL. What is the rate in gtt/min?

• A. 40 gtt/min
• B. 46 gtt/min
• C. 50 gtt/min
• D. 60 gtt/min

Answer: (B)

To find the IV rate in drops per minute, use the formula: rate (gtt/min) = (volume in mL × drop factor) ÷ time in minutes. The drop factor tells how many drops make up 1 mL. Convert the time: 8 hours × 60 minutes/hour = 480 minutes. Total drops = 1000 mL × 22 gtt/mL = 22,000 drops. Now divide: 22,000 drops ÷ 480 minutes ≈ 45.83 gtt/min. Since you can’t deliver a fraction of a drop, round to the nearest whole drop: 46 gtt/min.

To find the IV rate in drops per minute, use the formula: rate (gtt/min) = (volume in mL × drop factor) ÷ time in minutes. The drop factor tells how many drops make up 1 mL.

Convert the time: 8 hours × 60 minutes/hour = 480 minutes.

Total drops = 1000 mL × 22 gtt/mL = 22,000 drops.

Now divide: 22,000 drops ÷ 480 minutes ≈ 45.83 gtt/min. Since you can’t deliver a fraction of a drop, round to the nearest whole drop: 46 gtt/min.