SAMPLE CALCULATIONS-INTRAVENOUS FLUIDS

A.UNDER INFUSION

The order reads D5W 1000 ml IV at 125 ml/hr for 8 hours. The drop factor is 10gtt/ml, and the IV is
correctly set at 21 gtt/min. You would expect that after 4 hours, one half of the total, or 500ml, of the
solution would be infused (125ml/hr X 4hrs = 500ml.) However, when you check the IV bag the fourth
hour after starting the IV, you find 600 ml remaining. The rate of flow is behind schedule, and the
hospital allows 25% IV flow variation with careful patient assessment and if the patient’s condition is
stable. . The patient is stable, so you decide to compute a new flow rate for the remaining 600 ml to
complete .The IV fluid order in the remaining 4 hours.

Step 1:

Remaining volume
------------------------- = Recalculated ml/hr
Remaining hours

600ml
-------- = 150ml/hr
4hrs

Step 2:

Volume X drop Factor 150ml X 10gtt/ml 1500gtt

----------------------------- = ------------------------ = ---------- = 25 gtt/min(Adjusted flow rate)
# of Hrs(60 min) 1 hour( 60 min) 60 min

Step 3:

Adjusted flow rate - Ordered flow rate

----------------------------------------------------
Ordered flow rate

25-21 4
------- = ---- = 0.19 = 19% ; within the acceptable 25% of variation depending on policy Pt’s condition
21 21
 B. OVER INFUSION of IVF

The order reads: LR 500 ml IV to run over 10 hrs at 50 ml/hr. the drop factor is 60gtt/ml and the IV is
correctly infusing at 50 ml/hr. After 2 and ½ hours, you find 300 ml remaining. Almost half of the total
volume has already infused in about one-quarter the time. This IV Infusion is ahead of schedule. You
would compute new flow rate of 300ml to complete the IV fluid order in the remaining 7 and ½ hours.
The patient would require close assessment for fluid overload.

Step 1:

Remaining volume
------------------------- = Recalculated ml/hr
Remaining hours

300ml
-------- = 40ml/hr
7 ½ hrs

Time remaining is 7 ½ hrs (10h – 2 ½ hrs)

Step 2:

Volume X drop Factor 40ml X 60gtt/ml 2400gtt

----------------------------- = ------------------------ = ---------- = 40 gtt/min(Adjusted flow rate)
# of Hrs(60 min) 1 hour( 60 min) 60 min

Step 3:

Adjusted flow rate - Ordered flow rate

----------------------------------------------------
Ordered flow rate

40-50 -10
------- = ---- = -0.2 = -20% ; within the acceptable 25% of variation depending on policy Pt’s condition
50 50