CALCULATING DRIP RATES

TERMS:

Drop factor : # of drops mL of solution; may be found on tubing package

Microdrip : 60gtts/mL; used for small precise infusions

Macrodrip : 10-20gtts/mL; used for quick or large infusions

CALCULATING THE NUMBER OF mL to infuse per hour

FORMULA:

Volume (mL)/Time (hrs) = mL per hour

EXAMPLE:

1000 mL/8 hours = 125 mL per hour

CALCULATTING THE IV FLOW RATE IN DROPS PER MINUTE

FORMULA:

[Volume (mL)/ Time (Minutes)]x drop factor(gtt/mL) = IV flow rate per minute (gtt/min)

EXAMPLE:

[(1000mL/8hoursx60 minutes)]x15gtt/mL = 31.25 gtts/min

 IV DRIP RATE

MACROSET - gtts/min
1000mL 500mL
DRO DRO DRO DRO
HR DF2 P DF1 P HR DF2 P DF1 P
S 0 EVER 5 EVER S 0 EVER 5 EVER
Y Y Y Y
11.
24 14 4.3 10 5.8 24 7 8.6 5
5
11.
23 14 4.1 11 5.5 23 7 8.3 5
0
10.
22 15 4.0 11 5.3 22 8 7.9 6
6
10.
21 16 3.8 12 5.0 21 8 7.6 6
1
20 17 3.6 13 4.8 20 8 7.2 6 9.6
19 18 3.4 13 4.6 19 9 6.8 7 9.1
18 19 3.2 14 4.3 18 9 6.5 7 8.6
17 20 3.1 15 4.1 17 10 6.1 7 8.2
16 21 2.9 16 3.8   16 10 5.8 8 7.7
15 22 2.7 17 3.6 15 11 5.4 8 7.2
14 24 2.5 18 3.4 14 12 5.0 9 6.7
13 26 2.3 19 3.1 13 13 4.7 10 6.2
12 28 2.2 21 2.9 12 14 4.3 10 5.8
11 30 2.0 23 2.6 11 15 4.0 11 5.3
10 33 1.8 25 2.4 10 17 3.6 13 4.8
9 37 1.6 28 2.2 9 19 3.2 14 4.3
8 42 1.4 31 1.9 8 21 2.9 16 3.8
7 48 1.3 36 1.7 7 24 2.5 18 3.4
6 56 1.1 42 1.4 6 28 2.2 21 2.9
5 67 0.9 50 1.2 5 33 1.8 25 2.4
4 83 0.7 63 1.0 4 42 1.4 31 1.9
3 111 0.5 83 0.7 3 56 1.1 42 1.4
2 167 0.4 125 0.5 2 83 0.7 63 1.0
1 333 0.2 250 0.2 1 167 0.4 125 0.5
 IV DRIP RATE

MICROSET - gtts/min and cc/hr

1000mL 500mL
uggts/min and DROP uggts/min and DROP
HRS EVERY HRS EVERY
cc/hr cc/hr
24 42 1.4 24 21 2.9
23 43 1.4 23 22 2.8
22 45 1.3 22 23 2.6
21 48 1.3 21 24 2.5
20 50 1.2 20 25 2.4
19 53 1.1 19 26 2.3
18 56 1.1 18 28 2.2
17 59 1.0 17 29 2.0
16 63 1.0 16 31 1.9
15 67 0.9 15 33 1.8
14 71 0.8 14 36 1.7
13 77 0.8 13 38 1.6
12 83 0.7 12 42 1.4
11 91 0.7 11 45 1.3
10 100 0.6 10 50 1.2
9 111 0.5 9 56 1.1
8 125 0.5 8 63 1.0
7 143 0.4 7 71 0.8
6 167 0.4 6 83 0.7
5 200 0.3 5 100 0.6
4 250 0.2 4 125 0.5
3 333 0.2 3 167 0.4
2 500 0.1 2 250 0.2
1 1000 0.1 1 500 0.1