If a physician writes an order for 400 mL of D5W to be infused over a 4-hour time period, what is the calculated drops per minute if the IV drop factor is 12 gtt/mL?

To calculate the drops per minute (gtt/min) for the infusion of 400 mL of D5W over a 4-hour period with a drop factor of 12 gtt/mL, you'll need to follow these steps:

1. Convert the infusion time from hours to minutes: Since 4 hours equals 240 minutes (4 hours x 60 minutes/hour), the total infusion time in minutes is 240 minutes.

2. Calculate the total drops for the entire infusion:

To find out the total number of drops needed for 400 mL, multiply the volume to be infused (400 mL) by the drop factor (12 gtt/mL):

• Total drops = 400 mL x 12 gtt/mL = 4800 gtt.

3. Determine the infusion rate in drops per minute: Divide the total number of drops by the total infusion time in minutes:

• Drops per minute = Total drops / Total minutes = 4800 gtt / 240 minutes = 20 gtt/min.

This calculation shows that the infusion rate is 20 gtt/min, which confirms that this is the correct answer. This rate ensures that the solution is delivered