How did you get that?

Nursing Students General Students

Published

Hi all,

I seem to be in need of assistance with a particular IV calculation.

0.9% of NACL 1000mls is to be infuse over 10 hours. Apparently the answer is 33.3 but I just can't seem to get there! I assumed it was rate=volume/time so 1000/10=100, but then during class I wrote down 60/1 then 100/3 but cannot at this stage figure out where the 3 even came from. Am I even using the right formula?

Even a quick nudge in the right direction would be great

Thanks!

Up Vote Up Vote ×

is there a drip factor(gtt) for this equation

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in SICU, trauma, neuro.

are you trying to figure out the ml/hr? You give the total volume (1000 ml) and time over which it's infused (10 hrs). If you're looking for ml/hr, yes it would be 100. 1000ml/10hrs= 100 ml/hr. Or do you need to find drops per minute, or some other unknown?

Up Vote Up Vote ×

Could you provide the full question?

Up Vote Up Vote ×

That is the whole question apparently! We have to work out the drip rate. HA this is probably why I am so confused on this one

Up Vote Up Vote ×

My only guess is that you have a drip factor of 20 gtt/ml. Perhaps it is due to the size of your tubing???

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in Public Health, TB.
Hi all,

I seem to be in need of assistance with a particular IV calculation.

0.9% of NACL 1000mls is to be infuse over 10 hours. Apparently the answer is 33.3 but I just can't seem to get there! I assumed it was rate=volume/time so 1000/10=100, but then during class I wrote down 60/1 then 100/3 but cannot at this stage figure out where the 3 even came from. Am I even using the right formula?

Even a quick nudge in the right direction would be great

Thanks!

I think your 60/1 is your conversion from hours to minutes, there are 60 minutes in a hour, right?

As others said, your drip factor is likely 20 gtt/ml.

so if you need to infuse 100 ml over an hour, how many ml per minute?

Once you know how many ml per minute, you convert that to drips per minute.

100 mL/1 hr X 1hr/60 min X 20gtt/1 mL = ?? gtt/minute

I like to use dimensional analysis, but that is hard to demonstrate on this forum.

Up Vote Up Vote ×

I'm assuming your drip factor is 20 gtt/mL and the answer you're looking for is drip rate.

So you take the volume (1000) times drip factor (20) and all divided by the number of minutes (10 hours times 60 minutes equals 600 minutes).

1000 mL X 20 gtt/mL divided by 600 minutes = 33.3 gtt/min

Up Vote Up Vote ×
+ Add a Comment