A 1000 mL bag of normal saline is to be infused over 8 hours using a macrodrip set of 15 gtt/mL. What is the rate in gtt/min?

Study for the Archer Pharmacology Test to master dosage calculations and medication administration. Use flashcards and multiple choice questions with detailed explanations. Get ready for your exam!

Multiple Choice

A 1000 mL bag of normal saline is to be infused over 8 hours using a macrodrip set of 15 gtt/mL. What is the rate in gtt/min?

Explanation:
This question tests converting a prescribed infusion into drops per minute using the drop factor. The rate in gtt/min comes from volume (mL) times drop factor (gtt/mL) divided by the infusion time in minutes. First, convert the time: 8 hours = 480 minutes. Then find the total number of drops: 1000 mL × 15 gtt/mL = 15,000 drops. Now divide by the time: 15,000 drops ÷ 480 minutes ≈ 31.25 drops per minute. In practice, you round to the nearest whole drop, so the rate is about 31 gtt/min.

This question tests converting a prescribed infusion into drops per minute using the drop factor. The rate in gtt/min comes from volume (mL) times drop factor (gtt/mL) divided by the infusion time in minutes.

First, convert the time: 8 hours = 480 minutes. Then find the total number of drops: 1000 mL × 15 gtt/mL = 15,000 drops. Now divide by the time: 15,000 drops ÷ 480 minutes ≈ 31.25 drops per minute. In practice, you round to the nearest whole drop, so the rate is about 31 gtt/min.

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