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Baltimore City Community

Department of Nursing - Calculation of Medications In Nursing
By the end of this session, students will be able to accurately calculate IV drip rates using the following
formulas :
2 step formula for calculating basic IV drip rates
Step 1. Calculate ml/hr (Use to set the IV Pump)
Total ml ordered
Total hours

Step 2. Calculate IV gtt/min
ml/hr X gtt factor
minutes (60)

Example:
IV NS 1000 ml infuse over 12 hr. Drop factor = 20.
Step 1. ml/hr
1000/12 = 250/3 = 83.3 ml.hr
Step 2.
83.3 X 20
60

83.3 X 1 A= 27.7 or 28 gtt/min (THERE IS NO DECIMAL DROP, SO WE ROUND TO NEAREST)
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Calculating Basic IV Drip Rates using combined steps:
ml X gtt factor
hr X min

Example: IV NS 1000 ml infuse over 12 hr. Drop factor = 20.
1000 X 20
12 X 60

250 X 1
3 3

250
9 A= 27.7 = 28 gtt/min
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Add medications to IVs: Use the following 2 step formula:

Step 1. Calculate dose of medication to add to the IV

D X S
H

Step 2. Calculate IV drip rate:
ml X gtt factor
hr X min

Example:
Order: IV 1000 ml 0.45 NS add 750 mg vitamin C. Infuse at over 4 hr. Drop factor= 15.
Have: Vitamin C 1 gram (1000mg) = 10 ml

Step 1 Calculate the dose of medication.
750 X 10
1000

7500
1000

A = 7.5 ml Add 7.5 ml of vitamin C to the 1000 ml IV bag

Step 2. Calculate the IV drip rate in gtt/min:

1000 X 15
4 X 60

250 X 1
1 X 4 A = 62.5 gtt/min 63 gtt/min.



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Calculating the number of hours an IV will Run (LOT) utilizing the following formula:
ml
ml/hr

Example: IV 1000 ml 0.9 NS infuse at 75 ml/hr
1000
75 A= 13.3 hr

Calculate IV Piggy Back (IVPB) drip rates:
ml X gtt factor
min

Example: IVPB cefotetan 1 gram in 150 ml 5% Dextrose. Infuse over 1 hours. Drop factor= 10.
Calculate gtt/min.
100 X 10
90

1000
90 A = 11 gtt/min

Calculate Heparin drip rates using the following formula:
D = Heparin ordered in units/hr
H= Total number of units of heparin in IV
S= Total number of ml in IV bag

Example: IV 25,000 units heparin in 500 ml 0.5% Dextrose. Infuse at 950 units/hr.
D/H X S = A
950 units/hr X 500 ml
25,000 units X 1

950 hr X 1ml
50 X 1
A= 19 ml/hr Set pump at 19ml/hr