Dosage calculations, until they stop being scary
Problems are generated fresh every time, so there is nothing to memorise and no way to run out. Write the units at every step. That single habit prevents most of the errors this section is designed to catch.
IV drip rate (gtt/min)
Streak 0 · 0 attemptedDrops per minute for gravity infusion using a given tubing drop factor.
Infuse 250 mL over 8 hours by gravity using tubing with a drop factor of 20 gtt/mL. What is the drip rate?
gtt/min
Round to the nearest whole drop.
Formula
gtt/min = (Volume mL × Drop factor gtt/mL) ÷ Time in minutes
Where marks get lost
Rounding drops to a decimal. Drops per minute are always whole numbers — you cannot count half a drop.