What is the drip factor if a patient must receive 1000 mL over 8 hours using a drip set that delivers 15 gtt/mL?

To determine the drip factor in drops per minute when administering IV fluids, we need to calculate the total volume to be infused and the time frame for administration.

In the scenario given, the patient requires 1000 mL of fluid to be administered over 8 hours. First, it's essential to convert the hours into minutes for compatibility with the drip rate calculation, knowing that there are 60 minutes in an hour. Therefore, 8 hours converts to:

8 hours × 60 minutes/hour = 480 minutes.

Next, we will calculate the total number of drops needed using the drip factor of the set, which is given as 15 drops per mL. To find the total drops for 1000 mL:

Total drops = volume (in mL) × drip factor

Total drops = 1000 mL × 15 gtt/mL = 15000 gtt.

To find the drip rate in drops per minute, we divide the total number of drops by the total time in minutes:

Drip rate (gtt/min) = Total drops / Total minutes

Drip rate = 15000 gtt / 480 minutes = 31.25 gtt/min.

This calculation shows that the drip rate required