If a medication with a total volume of 3 mL is to be infused over 6 minutes, what is the rate in mL/min?

• A. 0.5 mL/min
• B. 1 mL/min
• C. 1.5 mL/min
• D. 2 mL/min

Answer: (A)

Infusion rate is found by dividing the total volume by the total time. For 3 mL over 6 minutes, 3 ÷ 6 = 0.5 mL per minute. So the rate is 0.5 mL/min. This means the device delivers half a milliliter every minute. If you ever need it in a different unit, you can convert: 0.5 mL/min × 60 min/hr = 30 mL/hr. A faster rate would finish the infusion sooner (for example, 1 mL/min would complete 3 mL in 3 minutes), while a slower rate would take longer.