Examples · IV drip rate (gtt/min)
Worked example
IV drip rate (gtt/min) — practice problem 3
An order reads: infuse 500 mL of D5W over 10 hours by gravity. The tubing drop factor is 20 gtt/mL.
Volume500 mL
Time10 hr (600 min)
Drop factor20 gtt/mL
What is the drip rate in gtt/min?
Answer: 17 gtt/min
Step-by-step solution
1. Start from the flow rate and multiply by the drop factor
( 500 mL ÷ 600 min ) × ( 20 gtt ÷ 1 mL )
2. Cancel mL and solve
= ( 500 × 20 ) ÷ 600 gtt/min
= 16.67 gtt/min
3. Round to whole drops (you cannot count part of a drop)
16.67 gtt/min ≈ 17 gtt/min
= 17 gtt/min
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