One math prob that could help please regarding infusion rate

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How to work this one out? If you are good at math I could use your help on this homework problem.

infuse 500 ml of lactated ringers over 4 hours / tubing that has a drop factor of 15 gtt/ml. What is the infusion rate in gtt/min?

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Specializes in Home Care.

what don't you understand?

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4hrs= 240 mins

500ml/240mins x 15= 31.25 or 31 gtt/min

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Specializes in Critical Care, ED, Cath lab, CTPAC,Trauma.

I usually do not mind helping but.........it is obvious you have a computer so....

http://tinyurl.com/2dmt36z or

google it.........DosageHelp.com - Helping Nursing Students Learn Dosage Calculations

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easy step

500 ml / 4 hrs = 125

then memorize this for drop factor = 60 gtts = 1

20 = 3

15 = 4

12 =5

10 = 6

since ur drop factor is 15

the next solution is 125 / 4 = 31.25 = 31gtts/min

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Specializes in babysitting.

i come up with 31.25 gtt/min

take 500ml and multiply by 15 gtt then divide it all over 240 minutes. because 4 hours is 240 minutes.

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wow you made that so easy thanks a lot! I don't know why I had trouble figuring this out but got it now, tired I guess.

TJ

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I have been using google but just wanted help getting on track with one math problem, I don't appreciate you being so condescending

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I do this a little different than most, but we all get the same answer.

500ml x 15gtt = 7500 total drops to be infused

7500 drops divided by 4 hours = 1875 drops per hour

1875 divided by 60 (minutes in one hour) = 31.25, round to 31 drops per min.

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OK well as long as it works

I prefer dimensional analysis and worked it out like this:

125 mL X 1 Hr X 15gtt =

------------------------ 31 gtt/min I canceled out the mL's and Hr's and was left with gtt/min

1 hr 60 min 1 mL

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Always remember to round when doing gtts/min because you can not give a point of a drop.

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Specializes in Med/Surg, DSU, Ortho, Onc, Psych.

I'm not giving you the answer. U need to GO BACK AND LEARN UR FORMULAS. Getting answers off of here will not help u understand the maths involved.

The formula for this is:

500 divided by 4 hours, x 15 divided by 60.

500 x 15

4 60

You need to work out WHY this is the correct formula for this problem as well, otherwise trust me u will be struggling in the future, and could possibly make serious med errors. If u don't understand one calculation, u won't understand all the others either.

This one is in drops per minute, but u also need to know how to work out mls per hour as well, & not get them confused.

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