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- Determining the number of milliliters per hour
TOTAL VOLUME/TOTAL TIME = Hourly infusion rate (volume to infuse each hour)
Example: 1,000 mL to be infused over 6 hr: 1,000/6 = 167 mL/hr - Determining flow rate in gtts per minute
TOTAL FLUID VOLUME/TOTAL TIME (minutes) × DROP FACTOR/(drops/mL) = INFUSION RATE (drops/min)
Example: Volume ordered is 1,000 mL of D5W over 6 hr; tubing drop factor is 15 drops/mL × 15 drops/mL
1000 mL/6(60) min × 15 drops/mL = 15,000 drops/360 min = 41.7 or 42 drops/min - Or using hourly infusion rate (see above):
167 mL × 15 drops/60 min/mL = 41.7 or 42 drops/min - Total fluid volume equals the amount of fluid, expressed in milliliters, to infuse over the ordered period of time (if order is 1 L of D5W over 12 hr, the total volume is 1 L [1,000 mL]).
- Total time is the number of minutes (hours × 60) over which the fluid should infuse. IF FLUID IS ORDERED PER HOUR OR YOU CALCULATE VOLUME PER HOUR, THE TOTAL TIME WILL EQUAL 60 MIN. Total volume will equal hourly infusion rate.
- The drop factor is the number of drops from the chosen tubing that will equal 1 mL. This amount is found on the tubing package and is expressed in drops per milliliter.