Question

An IV is running at a rate of 25 gtt/min. It has a volume of 500 mL. Tubing drop factor is 15. How long will the IV run?

Answer 1

An IV is running at a rate of 25 gtt/min, it means 25 drops per minute. And the drop factor is 15, which means 15 gtt/mL.

Since, the rate of IV is running at 25 gtt/min, so the volume of IV setup per minute can be calculated as:

15 gtt = 1mL

then 25 gtt = 25/15 mL

= 1.67 mL

Therefore, the rate of flow is 1.67 mL/min.

Now, the total volume of IV is 500 mL. So the time taken to infuse 500 mL IV can be calculated as:

since, 1.67 mL = 1 min

so, 500 mL = (1 x 500)/1.67 minutes

= 299.4 minutes

= 300 minutes approx.

= 300/60 hours

= 5 hours

Hence, it will take 5 hours to run 500 mL IV at a rate of 25 gtt/min with a tubing factor of 15.