15 Macrodrops Per Minute or 15 Gtss/min 20 Macrodrops Per Minute or 20 Gtts/min

gtts/min
cc/hr
Where:
Total fluid in ml: physicians order of amount of IV Fluid to be infused
Total hours: physicians order of number of hours to consume the IV Fluid
IV set calibration: Check the IV set or IV tubing package
Macroset: 10 macrodrops per minute or 10 gtts/min
15 macrodrops per minute or 15 gtss/min
20 macrodrops per minute or 20 gtts/min
Microset: 60 microdrops per minute or 60 ugtts/min
Calculate IV Rate – mL per hour and minute
It is easy to calculate the running rate of IV fluids in terms of mL per hour or mL per
minute:
TOTAL IV VOLUME ÷ TIME (HOUR OR MINUTE) =

ML PER HOUR OR MINUTE
The total IV volume is the amount of fluid to be infused while the time is the number of
running hours or minutes.
Examples:
1. Start venoclysis with D5 0.9 NaCl 1 L to be infused for 16 hours. How many mL of
the IV fluid should you infuse per hour?
Total IV volume ÷ time (hour or minute) = mL per hour
1 L ÷ 16 hours = mL per hour
[1 L x 1,000] ÷ 16 hours = mL per hour
1,000 mL ÷ 16 hours = 62.5 mL per hour
2. You are going to start IV infusion with Plain Lactated Ringer’s Solution 1 L. By
regulating it for 11 hours, how much fluid are you going to infuse per hour?
1 L ÷ 11 hours = mL per hour
[1 L x 1,000] ÷ 11 hours = mL per hour
1,000 mL÷ 11 hours = 90.9 mL per hour
Calculate IV Rate – drops per minute
Calculating for drops per minute is simple with the following formula:
[TOTAL IV VOLUME ÷ TIME (MINUTE)] X DROP

FACTOR = DROPS PER MINUTE
The total IV volume is the amount of IV fluid to be infused while time is the duration of how
long the IV fluid should be infused in terms of minutes/hours.
The drop factor is the “drops per milliliter” delivered to the patient and it depends on the
macrodrip used for the infusion. The common drop factors used in different hospitals are 10,
15 and 20.
Examples:
1. The physician orders to start venoclysis with D5 0.3 NaCl 1 L solution. The IV fluid
will be infused for 14 hours and the drop factor of the macrodrip used is 20. It
should be regulated to how many drops per minute?
[Total IV volume ÷ time (minute) ] x drop factor = drops per minute
[1 L ÷ 14 hours] x 20 = drops per minute
[{1 L x 1,000} ÷ {14 hours x 60} ] x 20 = drops per minute
[1,000 mL ÷ 840 minutes] x 20 = drops per minute
1.19 x 20 = 23 to 24 drops per minute
2. You are going to regulate D5 0.9 NaCl 500 mL solution for 7 hours. The macrodrip
used has 15 drop factor. You should regulate the IV fluid for how many drops per
minute?
[Total IV volume ÷ time (minute) ] x drop factor = drops per minute
[500 mL ÷ 7 hours] x 15 = drops per minute
[500 mL ÷ {7 hours x 60}] x 15 = drops per minute
[500 ÷ 420] x 15 = drops per minute
1.19 x 15 = 17 to 18 drops per minute
Calculate IV Rate – Remaining Time of Infusion
Calculating for the remaining time of infusion for a certain IV fluid is possible with the
following formula:
[VOLUME REMAINING (IN ML) ÷ DROPS PER

MINUTE] X DROP FACTOR = MINUTES REMAINING
The volume remaining is the amount of IV fluid remaining for the infusion while the drops
per minute is the regulation of the IV infusion. The drop factor can be determined in the
macrodrip used in the hospital.
Example:
1. You see that your patient has D5 0.9 NaCl IV infusion at 400 mL level. It is
regulated to run for 22 drops per minute using a macrodrip set with drop factor 20.
How many minutes are remaining before you are due to change the IV fluid?
[Volume remaining (in mL) ÷ drops per minute] x drop factor = minutes remaining
[400 mL ÷ 22] x 20 = minutes remaining
18.18 x 20 = 363 minutes or 6 hours
2. A patient has 350 mL of Plain 0.9 NaCl solution as IV infusion regulated at 20 drops
per minute. Drop factor 10 was used for the patient’s macrodrip set. Considering
the IV fluid level of the patient, for how many minutes will it run?
[Volume remaining (in mL) ÷ drops per minute] x drop factor = minutes remaining
[350 mL ÷ 20] x 10 = minutes remaining
17.5 x 10 = 175 minutes or 3 hours

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gtts/min

TOTAL IV VOLUME ÷ TIME (HOUR OR MINUTE) =

[TOTAL IV VOLUME ÷ TIME (MINUTE)] X DROP

[VOLUME REMAINING (IN ML) ÷ DROPS PER

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