Drop rate by gravity

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I have a question that is quite embarrassing. I am in my 3rd semester of nursing school. I have always excelled in math. I was taught only once about Iv dosage probs and I passed. However, this tiny simple part of the problem I cannot seem to grasp. I have worked all gravity and pump rates. I got the correct drops per minute correct. Now the embarrassing part. I cannot figure out how to get the amt of drips in a minute. For example I have 23 gtts/min. How do I determine to get the drops to match my answer. I know some people do it the whole min but our instructors require us to find the rate of how many drips per 15 sec or something like that. Then we have to count them a whole minute after. I know this is simple. I feel foolish but I am better with difficult probs rather than simple probs. Any help will be greatly appreciated.!

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Specializes in Intensive Care Unit.

Dont be embarassed at all, nursing math can be tricky!! I think I understand what your asking. If you have 23 gtts in one minute, how can you figure out gtts per minute in 15 seconds? If this is your question, setting up a simple conversion problem is probably the best way.

23 gtts. x gtts

________ = _______

60 sec 15 sec

Just cross multiply and solve for x. I hope I answered your question! If not let me know!

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Yes thank you so much. My brain works with harder problems but shuts down with simple math. Thanks again. Great Help! :)

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Specializes in Intensive Care Unit.

Your welcome anytime!! :)

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If you want to eat 24 jelly beans in a minute, how many should you eat in fifteen seconds? (assuming you eat them at a regular rate of speed)

Conversely, if you eat, say, ten jelly beans in fifteen seconds, how many will you eat in a minute? (same assumption)

Does that help?

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