Calculating milliliters per hour

MD orders type solution amount " time of infusion

medications to be added
to continuous infusion
to intermittent infusion
(IVPB)
as bolus dose
 Calculating milliliters per hour

Rx: 1000 ml NSS to run over 6 hours

total volume = ml/hour total time in hours
1000 = 166.6 ml/hr 6
Round off to 167 ml/hr
Calculating Drops per Minute

Rx: Administer 1000 ml How many ml will you add

D5W every 8 hr. Drop to 50 ml bag?
factor is 15 gtt/min 500 mg = 1g
total volume x drop 1 ml x ml
factor = gtt/min total 500 mg = 1000 mg
time (in minutes)
1 ml x ml
1000 ml x 15 = 15000 8 x
500 x = 1000
60 480
x = ml
= 31.25 gtt/min
Round to 31 gtt/min
 Common IV Drop Factors

Macrodrip 10gtt/ml 15 How many drops per

gtt/ml 20 gtt/ml minute will you run the
Microdrip 60 gtt/ml Kefzol so it is absorbed in

20 minutes?

Rx: Kefzol 1 g IVPB q 6 h
50 ml X 20 (drop factor) =
(Mix in 50 ml D5W. Infuse
over 20 min.) 20 (time in minutes)
1000 = 20
Drop factor is 20 gtt/ml
Run at 50 gtts/min
Kefzol supplied as
500mg/ml.
 Tips from Errickson & Todd
Write out units of measurement; must appear in same order
e.g. 60 mg = 90 mg (60mg:1tab::90mg:x tabs) 1 tab x tabs
line up decimals
Re-check if odd answer e.g. 25 tablets !!
Calculator only as good as your set-up