Questions: IV fluids was ordered: plain LRS 1L to run for 4 hours. If drop factor is 10 gtts / ml, the nurse should monitor that the IV is running at what rate? A. 35 gtts/min B. 42 gtts / min C. 18 gtts / min D. 29 gtt / min

Solution Steps

To determine the IV flow rate in drops per minute (gtts/min), we need to know the total volume of fluid to be infused and the time over which it is to be infused. The drop factor (gtts/ml) is also given. The formula to calculate the flow rate is:

Flow rate (gtts/min) = (Total volume in ml * Drop factor) / (Time in minutes).

Since the total volume is not provided in the question, we cannot calculate the exact flow rate. However, if we assume a certain volume, we can demonstrate the calculation process.

The IV fluids are ordered to run for 4 hours. To convert this time into minutes, we use the conversion factor \(1 \text{ hour} = 60 \text{ minutes}\).

\[ \text{Time in minutes} = 4 \times 60 = 240 \text{ minutes} \]

The flow rate in drops per minute (\(\text{gtts/min}\)) can be calculated using the formula:

\[ \text{Flow rate} = \frac{\text{Total volume in ml} \times \text{Drop factor}}{\text{Time in minutes}} \]

Assuming a total volume of 1000 ml for demonstration purposes, and given that the drop factor is \(10 \text{ gtts/ml}\), we substitute these values into the formula:

\[ \text{Flow rate} = \frac{1000 \times 10}{240} = 41.6667 \text{ gtts/min} \]

Final Answer