IV Flow Rate Calculator
This calculator helps healthcare professionals determine the correct flow rate for intravenous (IV) fluid administration. Calculating the right flow rate is crucial for ensuring patients receive the prescribed amount of medication or fluid over a specific period, preventing under- or over-infusion, which can have serious consequences.
Understanding IV Fluid Administration
Intravenous therapy involves administering fluids, medications, or blood products directly into a patient's vein. Accurate delivery is essential. The calculation typically involves three key factors:
- Volume to be infused (VTBI): The total amount of fluid that needs to be delivered to the patient. This is usually measured in milliliters (mL).
- Time for infusion: The total duration over which the fluid should be administered. This is often expressed in hours (hr) or minutes (min).
- Drop factor: This refers to the number of drops per milliliter (gtts/mL) that a specific IV administration set delivers. Common drop factors are 10 gtts/mL, 15 gtts/mL, 20 gtts/mL, and 60 gtts/mL (for calibrated electronic pumps).
How the Calculation Works
The fundamental formula to calculate the flow rate in milliliters per hour (mL/hr) is:
Flow Rate (mL/hr) = Volume to be infused (mL) / Time for infusion (hr)
If you need the flow rate in drops per minute (gtts/min), the formula is:
Flow Rate (gtts/min) = [Volume to be infused (mL) * Drop factor (gtts/mL)] / Time for infusion (min)
This calculator can assist with both calculations. It's important to always double-check manual calculations with a second healthcare professional, especially when dealing with critical care medications or fragile patient populations.
Results:
Flow Rate (mL/hr): — mL/hr
Flow Rate (gtts/min): — gtts/min
function calculateIVFlowRate() {
var volume = parseFloat(document.getElementById("volume").value);
var timeHours = parseFloat(document.getElementById("timeHours").value);
var timeMinutes = parseFloat(document.getElementById("timeMinutes").value);
var dropFactor = parseFloat(document.getElementById("dropFactor").value);
var flowRateMLH = "–";
var flowRateGttsm = "–";
if (!isNaN(volume) && !isNaN(timeHours) && timeHours > 0) {
flowRateMLH = (volume / timeHours).toFixed(2);
}
if (!isNaN(volume) && !isNaN(dropFactor) && !isNaN(timeMinutes) && timeMinutes > 0) {
flowRateGttsm = ((volume * dropFactor) / timeMinutes).toFixed(2);
}
document.getElementById("flowRateMLH").textContent = flowRateMLH;
document.getElementById("flowRateGttsm").textContent = flowRateGttsm;
}
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