Iv Drip Rate Calculator Drops per Minute Chart

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IV Drip Rate Calculator (gtt/min)

10 gtt/mL (Macrodrip) 15 gtt/mL (Macrodrip) 20 gtt/mL (Macrodrip) 60 gtt/mL (Microdrip)

Calculation Result:

Drip Rate: 0 gtt/min

How to Use the IV Drip Rate Calculator

Calculating the correct IV drip rate is a critical skill in clinical nursing and healthcare. This calculator helps determine the number of drops per minute (gtt/min) required to deliver a specific volume of fluid over a set period of time based on the administration set's drop factor.

The IV Drip Rate Formula

(Total Volume in mL × Drop Factor in gtt/mL) ÷ Time in Minutes = Drip Rate (gtt/min)

Common Drop Factors

  • Macrodrip (10, 15, 20 gtt/mL): Used for routine adult infusions and large volumes.
  • Microdrip (60 gtt/mL): Used for pediatric patients, critical care medications, or small volume infusions where high precision is required.

IV Drip Rate Drops Per Minute Chart

This quick-reference chart shows calculated drip rates for a 1-hour (60 min) infusion time based on volume and drop factor.

Volume (mL) 10 gtt/mL Set 15 gtt/mL Set 20 gtt/mL Set 60 gtt/mL Set
50 mL 8 gtt/min 13 gtt/min 17 gtt/min 50 gtt/min
100 mL 17 gtt/min 25 gtt/min 33 gtt/min 100 gtt/min
250 mL 42 gtt/min 63 gtt/min 83 gtt/min 250 gtt/min
500 mL 83 gtt/min 125 gtt/min 167 gtt/min 500 gtt/min

Practical Example

A physician orders 1000 mL of Normal Saline to be infused over 8 hours. You are using a macrodrip set with a drop factor of 15 gtt/mL.

  1. Step 1: Convert time to minutes (8 hours × 60 = 480 minutes).
  2. Step 2: Multiply Volume (1000) by Drop Factor (15) = 15,000 drops.
  3. Step 3: Divide total drops (15,000) by total minutes (480) = 31.25 gtt/min (Round to 31 gtt/min).
function calculateIVRate() { var volume = parseFloat(document.getElementById('iv_volume').value); var dropFactor = parseFloat(document.getElementById('iv_drop_factor').value); var hours = parseFloat(document.getElementById('iv_hours').value) || 0; var minutes = parseFloat(document.getElementById('iv_minutes').value) || 0; var totalMinutes = (hours * 60) + minutes; var resultDisplay = document.getElementById('iv_rate_display'); var resultArea = document.getElementById('iv_result_area'); var flowInfo = document.getElementById('iv_flow_info'); if (isNaN(volume) || volume <= 0) { alert("Please enter a valid infusion volume."); return; } if (totalMinutes <= 0) { alert("Please enter a valid infusion time in hours or minutes."); return; } // Calculation: (Volume * Drop Factor) / Total Minutes var dripRate = (volume * dropFactor) / totalMinutes; var mlPerHour = volume / (totalMinutes / 60); resultDisplay.innerText = dripRate.toFixed(1); flowInfo.innerHTML = "Infusion Rate: " + mlPerHour.toFixed(1) + " mL/hr Based on a drop factor of " + dropFactor + " gtt/mL over " + totalMinutes + " minutes."; resultArea.style.display = 'block'; // Scroll to result for mobile users resultArea.scrollIntoView({ behavior: 'smooth', block: 'nearest' }); }
Disclaimer: This tool is for educational purposes only. Always verify medical calculations with a second healthcare professional or according to your facility's protocols.

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