Nursing math problem

you are asking for volume infused not how much medication. therefore. 15gtts/min = 900gtts/hr. convert gtts to ml. and then x 4 = ml/ 4hr

Is the answer 3120 mL's ?

if you say 15 gtts = 1 ml, so your infusion rate is 1 ml/min

and 4 hrs = 240 minutes

total infused is 240 ml

Problem: After infusing for 4 hours with 52mcgtts/mL at 15 gtt/min, what is the total volume infused?

It looks to me that they are using a drip set that delivers 52mcgtts/ml with a rate of 15gtt/min using that set. So if I read that right and you use the normal drip rate calc, which is:

Volume to be infused in cc X Drop factor of IV set

------------------------------------------------------------- = gtts/min

(Time in minutes)

Then fill in what we know using X for the unknown:

X (52)

------- = 15gtt/min

240 min

Figure it as a proportion where you cross multiply and you get:

X(52) = 3600

Then divide by 52 to solve:

X= 69.23 ml

That's if I read the question correctly. Hope that helps.

The instructor said that you have to know that a mcgtt/ml set has 60 drops to be able to figure out the problem. Where does that get put into the equation?

The instructor said that you have to know that a mcgtt/ml set has 60 drops to be able to figure out the problem.

The question is poorly written. Trying to read it, it looks like the set is 52mcgtts/ml. There are some sets that don't deliver 60mcgtts/ml so she really should have included that in the question if that is how she wanted you to figure it.

I agree the question is not written well. The 52mcgtt/ml is what confused me. Me and a few other students were not able to start clinicals because we did not answer this question right. This was on our math practical. I wanted to see if anyone else can solve this problem.

Thanks for the help :)

Did they mean to write 52 mcgtts/min with 15 gtts/ml?