Question

The physician orders one liter of dextrose 5% / 0.45% of normal saline to infuse at 75 mL/hr. The intravenous tubing drop factor reads 10 drops per mL At what rate in drops per minute will the nurse regulate the intravenous solution?

Answer 1

Drops per minute = Volume $\times$ drop factor $\div$ time in minutes

                             = 75 ml $\times$10 drops per ml $\div$ 60 minutes

                             = 12.5 gtt/min

The nurse must regulate the intravenous solution to 13 drops per minute (to the nearest whole number) to infuse 75 ml of fluid in one hour.