IV gtt START rate

Nurses Medications

Published

Specializes in med/surg, tele, CCU, ICU, travel nurse.

I'm looking for an app that tells us what to START certain drips at. At the last hospital I worked at the doctor would always write "start dopamine at __". Here they just write Dopamine per protocol but this place has not been able to show me what "that" protocol is. Yes, I know there are some problems. At my last job there was a form on the computer that had typical gtt start rates as well as max doses. I am not looking for a "computing the rate" type of app. I just want to know typical/average start rates and max infusion rates. Does anyone know of this kind of app for my iphone?

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Specializes in ICU.

I'm not an "app" person and certainly wouldn't trust one in practice. Your institution must have some sort of resource for common drip rate ranges, otherwise call the pharmacist. Having someone back you up is a good idea if you're not 100% sure and someone (MD?) questions you later. "WHY DID YOU START IT AT THAT RATE?!!" Better to say "that's what the pharmacist said" rather than "that's what my iPhone app said." :laugh:

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Specializes in Pediatric/Adolescent, Med-Surg.

What you are doing makes me very nervous. I would never pick a rate to start a gtt at. Your docs need to be ordering a titration protocol or at the minimum a starting rate with a max you can titrate too. This just sounds like a lawsuit waiting to happen

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