How many drops per minute would you administer when the doctor’s order states that the client should receive 1000 cc of fluid for 8 hours and the IV set delivers 20 gtts per cc?

Correct option is A

Ans. (a) 42 gtts
Sol. Formula: Drops per minute (gtts/min) = (Total volume × Drop factor) / Total time in minutes Given:
· Volume = 1000 cc
· Drop factor = 20 gtts/cc
· Time = 8 hours = 480 minutes
gtts/min = (1000 × 20) / 480 = 20000 / 480 ≈ 41.67 ≈ 42 gtts/min
Explanation of each option:
· (a) 48 gtts – Slightly high, would cause faster infusion.
· (b) 51 gtts – Too high, risk of fluid overload.
· (c) 42 gtts – Correct. Matches calculated value.
· (d) 31 gtts – Too slow, patient won’t receive prescribed volume on time.