Infuse 1000 mL over 8 hours with drop factor 12 gtt/mL. What is the rate in gtt/min?

Infuse 1000 mL over 8 hours with drop factor 12 gtt/mL. What is the rate in gtt/min?

• A. 12 gtt/min
• B. 30 gtt/min
• C. 20 gtt/min
• D. 25 gtt/min

Answer: (D)

The rate in gtt per minute comes from converting the total volume into drops over the given time. Use the drop factor to turn milliliters into drops, then divide by the time in minutes. First convert 8 hours to minutes: 8 hours × 60 = 480 minutes. Multiply the volume by the drop factor to get total drops: 1000 mL × 12 gtt/mL = 12,000 drops. Then divide by the time in minutes to get drops per minute: 12,000 drops ÷ 480 minutes = 25 gtt/min. This method—volume × drop factor ÷ time in minutes—directly yields the required rate in gtt/min.

The rate in gtt per minute comes from converting the total volume into drops over the given time. Use the drop factor to turn milliliters into drops, then divide by the time in minutes.

First convert 8 hours to minutes: 8 hours × 60 = 480 minutes. Multiply the volume by the drop factor to get total drops: 1000 mL × 12 gtt/mL = 12,000 drops. Then divide by the time in minutes to get drops per minute: 12,000 drops ÷ 480 minutes = 25 gtt/min.

This method—volume × drop factor ÷ time in minutes—directly yields the required rate in gtt/min.