The IV rate, specifically the IV drip rate, is calculated using a formula that considers the total volume to be infused, the time over which it should be infused, and the drop factor of the IV tubing.
The formula for calculating the IV drip rate is:
IV drip rate (gtt/min) = (Total volume (mL) / Time (minutes)) x Drop factor (gtt/mL)
For example, if a provider orders 1,000 mL of Lactated Ringers to be infused over 8 hours, you would first convert the time to minutes (8 hours x 60 minutes/hour = 480 minutes). Then, assuming a drop factor of 15 gtt/mL, the calculation would be:
IV drip rate = (1000 mL / 480 minutes) x 15 gtt/mL = 31.25 gtt/min. This would typically be rounded to 31 gtt/min.
