Can someone tell me if I did this dosage problem right?

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Infuse 250 ml D5W to run over 4 hours. Drop factor is 10 gtt/ml. At how many drops per minute should the IV be regulated?

I got the answer 1.4 gtt/minute. But am I supposed to round drops?

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Oops it should be 10.4

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Your answer is not correct.

If you post your work as well it makes it easier for us to help you.

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At my school drops are to the nearest whole. I would think drops have to be a whole....

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It's not correct??? I think 10.4 is correct and then round.

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I did the problem twice, two different ways and got 10.4. Whether you round I don't recall but if you had to you would round to 10.0.

I'm not a student anymore but I like challenging my mind. If 10.4/10.0 is wrong could someone show us why?

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Specializes in Hospice.

You definitely round. Drops are whole.

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250mL X 10 =2500

2500/240 min =10.4

= 10 gtts/min

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250÷4

=62.5

62.5÷60

=1.0416666666

1.0416666666×10

=10.416666666

10 gtt/min

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Specializes in Complex pedi to LTC/SA & now a manager.

How are you going to determine 0.4 drops? The intention of drops/mL and drops/min is that should you not have a pump available (limited supplies, power outage whatever) you can count drops to ensure accurate rate.

So to put practical application to the problem, can you count 10.4 drops? No, so then rounding is required.

In nursing school we had to verify our rate calculations & drop rates by counting drops over a minute. In a 10 drops/mL or 10 drops/ min you could not be anything but 100% accurate.

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or,

250 x 10

(over)

4 x 60

which becomes:

2500

(over)

240

which equals:

10.416....

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Specializes in LAD.

gtt/min= 10 gtt/1 mL * 250 mL/4 hr * 1 hr/60 min

10*250*1

_________ = 10.4 or 10 gtt/ min

1*4*60

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