IV Drip Calcs SAVE ME PLEASE!!!

Ali1Nurse · Nov 9, 2010

maybe its because im slightly sleep deprived, but im not understanding exactly what ur question is.. let me know and ill see if i can help u out

allnurses Guide · Nov 9, 2010

What you are looking for on the package of unopened tubing is where it says Xgtts per ml ie. 60gtts/ml, 10gtts per ml, 15gtts per ml etc. You do not need to know the drop factor if you are using an IV pump.

Pharmacology Math: Calculating IV Problems

Could someone please explain micro(mini)drip to me? I am trying to make out it surrounded by my pharmacology class?

agldragonRN · Nov 9, 2010

i am an lpn (that works in a snf) and i just started my last year of a bsn program and i desperately need help with iv drip rates and calculations! i know there are thousands of posts on here and trust me, i have read them all! i see the basic drip rate calculation and drip rate calc set up (no prob). but when it says to enter in the drip factor, the only thing i get is "this is on our tubing" or "this is on your manufacturer's packaging". without ever having set eyes on this tubing or package, how am i supposed to know where this is? i have asked for my instructor's help, but they never seem to have the time. i also asked the help of a precepting rn and she just yelled at me and told me what an idiot i am. maybe i am having a mental block, i don't know. but can someone please help me with this? i've reached the point of just wanting to quit because i can't get this on my own using google and my vague text book from 1997 (and yes i've checked the library but all the nursing books are always checked out by the junior college students. i've also tried barnes & noble but they now shrink wrap the nursing books because of students using them as a library.
so again i ask ... where is the drip factor found?
and
please give me any other free resources you may know of!!!!
thanks to anyone who tries to help me!
p.s. yes i know this is about the most poorly written post, but i'm so upset i'm typing through tears. i want this so bad but feel like i have absolutely no support.

wow. yeah you are right it took me a while to find something that i can show you. the drip factor is on the actual packaging of your primary tubing.

if you look at this youtube video, the guy will point where the tubing drip factor is printed on the packaging of the tubing:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dtzcuudzx8q&feature=related

it's on 1:05 frame.

if you have the microdrip tubing (which has the needle in the chamber), 60 drops must fall to deliver 1 ml of fluid to the patient. so basically all microdrip set deliver 60 gtt/ml.

the tubing that does not have a needle in the chamber are called macrodrip. macrodrip amounts per ml differ according to the manufacturer. for example, baxter macrodrip tubing has a drip factor of 10 gtt/ml. abott tubing has a drip factor of 15 gtts/ml. the package label will state the drops per milliliter (gtt/ml).

now, you can start calculating your iv drip rates as long as you have the other info, such as, the total numbers of ml ordered and number of hours to run.

so,

total number of ml ordered/number of hours to run = number of ml/hr

then,

(number of ml/hr x tubing drip factor)/number of minutes = drops per minute

also as fyi, drop factor, drops per milliliter, gtt/ml, drip factor, or gtt factor are all the same as tubing drip factor.

good luck to you. i hope i was able to help you.

angel, rn

IVRUS, BSN, RN · Nov 9, 2010

I am an LPN (that works in a SNF) and I just started my last year of a BSN program and I desperately need help with IV Drip Rates and Calculations! I KNOW there are thousands of posts on here and trust me, I have read them ALL! I see the basic drip rate calculation and drip rate calc set up (no prob). BUT when it says to enter in the drip factor, the only thing I get is "this is on our tubing" or "this is on your manufacturer's packaging". Without ever having set eyes on this tubing or package, how am I supposed to know where this is? I have asked for my instructor's help, but they never seem to have the time. I also asked the help of a precepting RN and she just yelled at me and told me what an idiot I am. Maybe I am having a mental block, I don't know. But can someone please help me with this? I've reached the point of just wanting to quit because I can't get this on my own using google and my vague text book from 1997 (and yes I've checked the library but all the nursing books are always checked out by the junior college students. I've also tried Barnes & Noble but they now shrink wrap the nursing books because of students using them as a library.
So again I ask ... WHERE IS THE DRIP FACTOR FOUND?
and
Please give me any other free resources you may know of!!!!
Thanks to anyone who tries to help me!
P.S. Yes I know this is about the most poorly written post, but I'm so upset I'm typing through tears. I want this so bad but feel like I have absolutely no support.

But there is support here... and if you'd like, send me a private message anytime, and I'll answer any question that you have to the best of my ability. Don't fret, life is full of challenges, but you can do this... and it doesn't matter where you work, knowledge is knowledge is knowledge, and it applies to many settings. During your schooling, you will be exposed to the tubing that is used in IV therapy. EVERY tubing will display it's drop factor on it. Whether the tubing is minidrip or macrodrip, the amount of drops it takes to deliver one milliliter is listed on the outside of the package. It sounds like you have your formulas down pat, so, take a deep breath and calm yourself. This site is full of willing and capable nurses to help you along the way. Not every nurse eats their young!