What would be the flow rate in gtt/min for a 500 mL IV to infuse at 80 mL/hr using a drop factor of 15 gtt/mL?

To determine the flow rate in drops per minute (gtt/min), you first need to calculate the flow rate in mL/min. Given that the infusion rate is 80 mL/hr, you can convert this to mL/min by dividing by 60 minutes.

Calculating that gives you:

80 mL/hr ÷ 60 min/hr = 1.33 mL/min (approximately).

Next, to convert mL/min to gtt/min, you apply the drop factor, which is given as 15 gtt/mL. The calculation would be:

1.33 mL/min × 15 gtt/mL = 20 gtt/min (approximately).

This result is rounded based on standard practices in IV administration. Therefore, the flow rate for the IV infusion set at this dosage calculation is correctly identified as 20 gtt/min.