Examples · IV drip rate (gtt/min)
Worked example
IV drip rate (gtt/min) — practice problem 8
An order reads: infuse 50 mL of lactated Ringer's over 0.5 hours by gravity. The tubing drop factor is 60 gtt/mL.
Volume50 mL
Time0.5 hr (30 min)
Drop factor60 gtt/mL
What is the drip rate in gtt/min?
Answer: 100 gtt/min
Step-by-step solution
1. Start from the flow rate and multiply by the drop factor
( 50 mL ÷ 30 min ) × ( 60 gtt ÷ 1 mL )
2. Cancel mL and solve
= ( 50 × 60 ) ÷ 30 gtt/min
= 100 gtt/min
3. Round to whole drops (you cannot count part of a drop)
100 gtt/min ≈ 100 gtt/min
= 100 gtt/min
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