IV Calculations
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1. A health care provider pre- 214 mL/hour
scribes 1,500 mL of normal 54 drops/minute
saline to be infused over
seven (7) hours. The drop Solving for the mL per hour (mL/hour)
factor is 15 drops/mL. The Use the IV flow rate formula (mL/hour) above.
nurse should set the flow Divide 1,500 mL (total infusion volume) with 7 hours (total infu-
rate of the IV infusion pump sion time) to get 214.28 mL.
at how many mL per hour Round off your final answer to get 214 mL/hour.
(mL/hour) and drops per 1,500ml =214.3mL/hour 7 hours
minute (drops/minute)? Solving for the drops per minute (drops/minute)
Use the IV flow rate formula above.
Convert 7 hours to minutes by multiplying 7 hours to 60 minutes
per hour and get 420 minutes.
Divide 1,500 mL (total infusion volume) by 420 minutes (total
infusion time) to get 3.57 mL/minute.
Multiply 3.57 mL/minute to the drop factor of 15 drops/mL to get
53.55
2. A health care provider pre- 25 drops per minute
scribes 1,200 mL of 0.45%
normal saline solution to be Solve for the infusion time first since infusion time on this problem
infused at 125 mL/hour. The is not explicitly stated. To calculate for the infusion time, divide
drop factor is 12 drops/mL. 1,200 mL (total infusion volume) with 125 mL/hour to get 9.6
How many drops per minute hours (infusion time). Convert 9.6 hours to minutes by multiplying
should the nurse adjust the it to 60 minutes/hour. You'll get 576 minutes.
flow rate to safely administer Now solve for the drops per minute using the IV flow rate formula
the prescribed intravenous above.
solution?
Multiply 1,200 mL (total infusion volume) with 12 drops/mL (drop
factor) to get 14,400 drops.
Then, divide 14,400 drops with 576 minutes (total time of infu-
sion) to get 25 drops/minute.
, IV Calculations
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3. A nurse was assigned to 91 drops per minute
the medical-surgical ward to 91 mL per hour
care for a 30-year-old female 17:45
client diagnosed with pneu-
monia. The patient's prima- Calculate for the total infusion time by converting 2 hours and 45
ry health care provider pre- minutes to minutes. Multiply 2 hours to 60 minutes per hour to
scribed 250 mL of D5W to be get 120 minutes then add 45 minutes to get 165 minutes (total
infused over 2 hours and 45 infusion time).
minutes. The drop factor is Use the IV flow rate formula for drops per minute above.
60 drops per mL. Multiply 250 mL (total infusion volume) to 60 drops/mL (drop
To safely administer the factor) to get 15,000 drops.
prescribed intravenous so- Then, divide 15,000 drops by 165 minutes (total time of infusion)
lution, the nurse should to get 90.90 drops/minute.
regulate the IV pump for Finally, round off your final answer to the nearest whole number
how many drops per minute to get 91 drops per minute.
(drops/minute). Additionally, Calculating for mL per hour:
compute for the mL per Convert 2 hours and 45 minutes to hours by dividing 45 minutes
hour. to 60 minutes per hour and get 0.75 hours. Add 2 hours and 0.75
hours to get 2.75 hours.
Use the IV flow rate formula for mL per hour.
Divide the 250 mL (total infusion volume) to 2.75 hours to get
90.90. Round off your final answer to the nearest whole number
to get 91 mL/hour.
Calculating for time:
Just add 2 hours and 45 minutes to 15:00 (time started) to get
17:45.
4. The nurse follows through 100 mL per hour
an order to infuse 250 mL 17 drops per minute
of plates intravenous over 2
hours and 30 minutes. The First, convert 30 minutes to hours by dividing 30 minutes to 60
drop factor is 10 drops per minutes per hour and get 0.5 hours. Then add 0.5 to 2 hours to
, IV Calculations
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mL. To safely administer the get 2.5 hours.
order, the nurse will set the Use the IV flow rate formula for mL/hr above.
flow rate of the IV pump at Divide 250 mL (total infusion volume) with 2.5 hours (total infu-
what mL per hour? Addition- sion time) to get 100 mL/hr.
ally, at how many drops per Calculate for the total infusion time in minutes. Convert 2 hours
minute? to minutes by multiplying 2 hours to 60 minutes per hour and
get 120 minutes. Then add 30 minutes to get 150 minutes (total
infusion time).
Use the IV flow rate formula for drops per minute.
Divide 250 mL (total infusion volume) with 150 minutes (total
infusion time) to get 1.66 mL/minute.
Multiply 1.6 mL/minute to 10 drops/mL to get 16.6
drops/minute.
Or you can also:
Divide 100 mL per hour (from previous computation) to 60 min-
utes per hour to get 1.66 mL per minute
Then multiply 1.66 mL per minute to 10 drops per mL to get 16.67
drops per minute.
Round off your final answer to the nearest whole number to get
17 drops/minute.
5. A health care provider pre- 69 mL per hour
scribes 1 and 1/4 liters of 23 drops per minute
D5LRS to be infused over
18 hours. The drop factor Use the IV flow rate formula for mL per hour above.
is 20 drops per mL. How 1 and 1/4 L of D5LRS is 1.25 L. Convert it to milliliters by moving
many mL per hour should the decimal point three digits to the right or by multiplying it with
the nurse adjust the flow 1000 to get 1,250 mL.
rate to safely administer the Divide 1,250 ml (total infusion volume) with 18 hours (total infu-
prescribed intravenous solu- sion time) to get 69.44 mL/hr.
tion? Additionally, compute Round your final answer to a whole number to get 69 mL/hr
for the drops per minute. (nice!).
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1. A health care provider pre- 214 mL/hour
scribes 1,500 mL of normal 54 drops/minute
saline to be infused over
seven (7) hours. The drop Solving for the mL per hour (mL/hour)
factor is 15 drops/mL. The Use the IV flow rate formula (mL/hour) above.
nurse should set the flow Divide 1,500 mL (total infusion volume) with 7 hours (total infu-
rate of the IV infusion pump sion time) to get 214.28 mL.
at how many mL per hour Round off your final answer to get 214 mL/hour.
(mL/hour) and drops per 1,500ml =214.3mL/hour 7 hours
minute (drops/minute)? Solving for the drops per minute (drops/minute)
Use the IV flow rate formula above.
Convert 7 hours to minutes by multiplying 7 hours to 60 minutes
per hour and get 420 minutes.
Divide 1,500 mL (total infusion volume) by 420 minutes (total
infusion time) to get 3.57 mL/minute.
Multiply 3.57 mL/minute to the drop factor of 15 drops/mL to get
53.55
2. A health care provider pre- 25 drops per minute
scribes 1,200 mL of 0.45%
normal saline solution to be Solve for the infusion time first since infusion time on this problem
infused at 125 mL/hour. The is not explicitly stated. To calculate for the infusion time, divide
drop factor is 12 drops/mL. 1,200 mL (total infusion volume) with 125 mL/hour to get 9.6
How many drops per minute hours (infusion time). Convert 9.6 hours to minutes by multiplying
should the nurse adjust the it to 60 minutes/hour. You'll get 576 minutes.
flow rate to safely administer Now solve for the drops per minute using the IV flow rate formula
the prescribed intravenous above.
solution?
Multiply 1,200 mL (total infusion volume) with 12 drops/mL (drop
factor) to get 14,400 drops.
Then, divide 14,400 drops with 576 minutes (total time of infu-
sion) to get 25 drops/minute.
, IV Calculations
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3. A nurse was assigned to 91 drops per minute
the medical-surgical ward to 91 mL per hour
care for a 30-year-old female 17:45
client diagnosed with pneu-
monia. The patient's prima- Calculate for the total infusion time by converting 2 hours and 45
ry health care provider pre- minutes to minutes. Multiply 2 hours to 60 minutes per hour to
scribed 250 mL of D5W to be get 120 minutes then add 45 minutes to get 165 minutes (total
infused over 2 hours and 45 infusion time).
minutes. The drop factor is Use the IV flow rate formula for drops per minute above.
60 drops per mL. Multiply 250 mL (total infusion volume) to 60 drops/mL (drop
To safely administer the factor) to get 15,000 drops.
prescribed intravenous so- Then, divide 15,000 drops by 165 minutes (total time of infusion)
lution, the nurse should to get 90.90 drops/minute.
regulate the IV pump for Finally, round off your final answer to the nearest whole number
how many drops per minute to get 91 drops per minute.
(drops/minute). Additionally, Calculating for mL per hour:
compute for the mL per Convert 2 hours and 45 minutes to hours by dividing 45 minutes
hour. to 60 minutes per hour and get 0.75 hours. Add 2 hours and 0.75
hours to get 2.75 hours.
Use the IV flow rate formula for mL per hour.
Divide the 250 mL (total infusion volume) to 2.75 hours to get
90.90. Round off your final answer to the nearest whole number
to get 91 mL/hour.
Calculating for time:
Just add 2 hours and 45 minutes to 15:00 (time started) to get
17:45.
4. The nurse follows through 100 mL per hour
an order to infuse 250 mL 17 drops per minute
of plates intravenous over 2
hours and 30 minutes. The First, convert 30 minutes to hours by dividing 30 minutes to 60
drop factor is 10 drops per minutes per hour and get 0.5 hours. Then add 0.5 to 2 hours to
, IV Calculations
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mL. To safely administer the get 2.5 hours.
order, the nurse will set the Use the IV flow rate formula for mL/hr above.
flow rate of the IV pump at Divide 250 mL (total infusion volume) with 2.5 hours (total infu-
what mL per hour? Addition- sion time) to get 100 mL/hr.
ally, at how many drops per Calculate for the total infusion time in minutes. Convert 2 hours
minute? to minutes by multiplying 2 hours to 60 minutes per hour and
get 120 minutes. Then add 30 minutes to get 150 minutes (total
infusion time).
Use the IV flow rate formula for drops per minute.
Divide 250 mL (total infusion volume) with 150 minutes (total
infusion time) to get 1.66 mL/minute.
Multiply 1.6 mL/minute to 10 drops/mL to get 16.6
drops/minute.
Or you can also:
Divide 100 mL per hour (from previous computation) to 60 min-
utes per hour to get 1.66 mL per minute
Then multiply 1.66 mL per minute to 10 drops per mL to get 16.67
drops per minute.
Round off your final answer to the nearest whole number to get
17 drops/minute.
5. A health care provider pre- 69 mL per hour
scribes 1 and 1/4 liters of 23 drops per minute
D5LRS to be infused over
18 hours. The drop factor Use the IV flow rate formula for mL per hour above.
is 20 drops per mL. How 1 and 1/4 L of D5LRS is 1.25 L. Convert it to milliliters by moving
many mL per hour should the decimal point three digits to the right or by multiplying it with
the nurse adjust the flow 1000 to get 1,250 mL.
rate to safely administer the Divide 1,250 ml (total infusion volume) with 18 hours (total infu-
prescribed intravenous solu- sion time) to get 69.44 mL/hr.
tion? Additionally, compute Round your final answer to a whole number to get 69 mL/hr
for the drops per minute. (nice!).
