Over the next 4 hours, infuse 500 mL of 5% Dextrose in normal saline. Add 20 mEq of KCl to solution. The IV tubing is 15 gtt/mL. In drops per minute, what is the rate of flow?

Over the next 4 hours, infuse 500 mL of 5% Dextrose in normal saline. Add 20 mEq of KCl to solution. The IV tubing is 15 gtt/mL. In drops per minute, what is the rate of flow?

• A. 188 gtt/min
• B. 150 gtt/min
• C. 210 gtt/min
• D. 175 gtt/min

Answer: (A)

To find the drops per minute, convert the infusion rate from mL per hour to drops per minute using the tubing’s drop factor. The patient is to receive 500 mL over 4 hours, so the flow rate is 125 mL per hour. With a drop factor of 15 drops per mL, that’s 125 mL/hour × 15 drops/mL = 1875 drops per hour. Converting to per minute: 1875 drops/hour ÷ 60 minutes/hour ≈ 31.25 drops per minute, about 31 gtt/min. Note: adding potassium chloride doesn’t change the flow rate calculation here, since it doesn’t alter the time or total volume infused. The result is roughly 31 gtt/min, and none of the listed choices match this value.

To find the drops per minute, convert the infusion rate from mL per hour to drops per minute using the tubing’s drop factor.

The patient is to receive 500 mL over 4 hours, so the flow rate is 125 mL per hour. With a drop factor of 15 drops per mL, that’s 125 mL/hour × 15 drops/mL = 1875 drops per hour. Converting to per minute: 1875 drops/hour ÷ 60 minutes/hour ≈ 31.25 drops per minute, about 31 gtt/min.

Note: adding potassium chloride doesn’t change the flow rate calculation here, since it doesn’t alter the time or total volume infused. The result is roughly 31 gtt/min, and none of the listed choices match this value.