Examples · IV drip rate (gtt/min)
Worked example
IV drip rate (gtt/min) - practice problem 4
An order reads: infuse 500 mL of lactated Ringer's over 3 hours by gravity. The tubing drop factor is 20 gtt/mL.
Volume500 mL
Time3 hr
Drop factor20 gtt/mL
What is the drip rate in gtt/min?
Answer: 56 gtt/min
Step-by-step solution
1. Start from the flow rate and multiply by the drop factor
( 500 mL ÷ 180 min ) × ( 20 gtt ÷ 1 mL )
2. Cancel mL and solve
= ( 500 × 20 ) ÷ 180 gtt/min
= 55.56 gtt/min
3. Round to whole drops (you cannot count part of a drop)
55.56 gtt/min ≈ 56 gtt/min
= 56 gtt/min
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