1. 1
1
Intravenous Fluids

2. 22
TUBING CALIBRATIONS
MACRO
TUBING
10 gtt / cc
15 gtt / cc
20 gtt / cc
printed
on
Package
Called
Set
calibration
•You MUST know that a
microdrip or microdrop set or
minidrip or minidrop set always
= 60gtts/cc.
MICRO TUBING = 60 gtts / cc

3. 3
3
IV Flow
Rates
Expressed: cc/hr and
gtt/min
1. Find the cc/hr flow
rate
2. Find the gtts/min flow
rate

4. 4
MEMORIZE FORMULA
VOLUME ÷ TIME = CC/HR.
(in cc) (in hrs)

5. 5
IV Flow Rates
Examples cc/hr.
#1 Order: LR 1000cc over 8 hrs
(Vol) 1000 ÷ 8 (time) =
125 cc/hr.
Use whole # for drip rates
#2 Order: NS 500cc over 12 hrs
500 ÷ 12 = 41.6
= 42 cc/hr
Use whole # for flow rates

6. • Example: gtts./min.
• Memorize formula:
• cc/hr. x gtt factor
60 min.
#1.
• 125cc/hr , set calibration or drop factor is 15
gtt/cc
• 125 x 15 = 31.25 or
60 31 gtts./min.
6
IV FLOW RATES

7. 7
COMMON IV
PROBLEM # 1
Order
1L D5LR Over 8 hrs.
set calibration is
20 gtts./cc
Find
1. cc/hr.
2. gtts/min.

8. Common IV problem
# 2
• Order: 500cc of D5W over 24hrs. Use a
mini/micro dripper .
• 1. Find cc/hr
• 2. Find gtts/min.
8

9. 9
IV FLOW RATES
• ANYTIME YOU HAVE A SET
CALIBRATION OF
60 gtts / cc
Also called drip factor/drop factor, as you do
with a mini/micro dripper
cc/hr.= gtts/min.

10. 10
Example: Time < 1 hour
Order
Ampicillin 250 mg/30 cc
over 30 mins
Ignore extraneous info
like medication /dose
VOLUME ONLY
Set calibration: 15gtt/cc
30cc x 15gtt/cc =
30 min
15 gtt/min

11. Example 2, Piggy back medications
• 1 g of Methicillin in 50cc to run over
30 minutes
• Using a micro dripper, how many
drops per minute should IV run?
11

12. 12
33
Infusion Time
Total time for given volume of IVF
to infuse
Infusion Time = Total Vol.
cc/hr.
Example 1 = 1L NSS @ 100cc/hr.
1000 = 10 hrs.
100
Example 2 1L D5W @ 125/hr.
1000 = 8 hrs.
125

13. 1333
MEDICAL
QUESTION OF THE
DAY
• QUESTION
• WHAT IS A
• TABLET

14. 14
PEDIATRIC IV
MEDICATIONS
• I
IV MED INFUSION PUMP

15. 15
Heparin
• anticoagulant
• measured in units
• various concentration
•Concentration for sc. =
10,000 units/cc
1000 units/cc = IV heparin
100 units/cc = CL heparin flush
1o units/cc = PHL flush

16. 16
Parenteral Medications
s.c. subcutaneous
**Should be ≤ 1cc
Heparin s.c is a common one.

17. 17
SC HEPARIN
Order: 4000 units Heparin s.c. now.
On Hand:
Heparin 1,000 units/cc
Heparin 10,000 units/cc
Which would you choose
And why
How much would you give

18. 18
SC Heparin
If you choose 1,000 units/ml
1000units 4000units
1 cc xcc
1000 x = 4000
x = 4 cc
TOO MUCH s.c.
So cannot go by closest concentration rule with s.c.
injections, SO

19. 19
SC Heparin cont..
Choose 10,000 units / ml
10,000 units 4000 units
1cc x cc
10,000 x = 4000
x = 0.4 cc
OK for a subcutaneous
injection

20. 20
Heparin Infusion
Order
1000cc D5W +
50,000 units
heparin TRA 25 cc/hr
*How many Units/hr is your
patient getting
1000 cc : 50,000 units : 25 cc = X
1000x = 1,250,000 units
X = 1,250 Units

21. 21
Order
1 L D5W c 50,000units heparin
Run @ 2,000 units per hour
What is flow rate in cc/hr.
50,000 units :1,000 cc:: 2,000 units: Xcc
50,000x = 2,000,000
X = 40 cc/hr.

22. 22
HEPARIN INFUSION
• ORDER:
• 1LNS with 50,000 units Heparin @ 30cc/hr.
• How many units/hr is your patient
receiving?

23. 23
INSULIN INJECTIONS
not on exam
I liked this slide

24. 24
59
Critical Care Drugs
1. Ordered by dosages
i.e., mcg/kg/min
mg/min
You will need to find cc/hr.
2. Should use IV pump! If not,
use mini-dripper only!
REMEMBER A MINI
DRIPPER = 60 gtts / cc
3. Be sure you have like units.
4. Very potent drugs!!

25. 25
CRITICAL CARE
CALCULATIONS
Order: Lidocaine 4mg/min
On Hand: Lidocaine 1g/250cc
What is IV flow rate?? cc/hr?
1. Convert to like units: 1g=1000mg
2. 1000 mg: 250 :: 4mg: x cc
1000x = 1000
x = 1cc/min.

26. 26
60
1 cc / minute, the question
asked for cc/hr.!!
WE NEED HOURLY RATE
SO STEP 3.
3. Multiply by 60 min. to get
cc/hr
1 cc/min (60 min) = 60 cc/hr
is our answer.

27. 27
61
Order
Pronestyl 3mg/min
Have on Hand
500mg Pronestyl in
250 cc D5W
Rate in cc/hr??
1. No conversion necessary
2. 500 mg : 250 cc = 3 mg : Xcc
500 x = 750
X = 1.5 cc/min.
1.5 cc/ minute , we need cc/hr.

28. 28
Pronestyl
3. calculate the flow rate in cc/hr
1.5 cc/min x 60 min ( per hr)
= 90 cc/hr.

29. 29
MEDICAL QUESTION
•WHAT DOES
•DILATE MEAN

30. 30
ORDER
2.5 mcg/kg/min
Have on Hand
Nipride 50mg/250cc
Wt: 136 lbs
Rate cc/hr ?
1. 136 · 2.2 = 61.8 kg ( 62kg.)
2.5 mcg. X 62 kg. = 155
mcg/min.
2. Convert to like units
155 mcg/min = ? mg/min
= 0.155 mg/min
46

31. 31
Nipride
3. Calculate flow rate cc/min
0.155mg. : x cc :: 50mg : 250cc
50 x = 250 x ( 0.155)
50 x = 38.75
x = 0.775 cc/min.
4. Calculate flow rate cc/hr.
0.775/min x 60min/hr. =
46.5 cc/hr. or 47 cc/hr.

32. 32
64
Order
Lidocaine 2 mcg/kg/min
Have on Hand:
Lidocaine 1 g/250 cc
Pt Wt: 62kg
Rate? cc/hr.
1. 2 mcg x 62 kg = 124 mcg/min
2. 1g Lidocaine = 1000mg
124 mcg. = 0.124 mg.

33. 33
Lidocaine Problem cont..
3. 1000mg : 250cc :: 0.124 mg : x cc
1000 x = 250 ( 0.124)
1000 x = 31
x =0. 031
4. 0.031 cc/ minute
Not finished , need cc/hr. SO,
0.031 x 60 = 1.86 cc/hr.

34. 34
Unacceptable Abbreviations
• OFFICIAL DO NOT USE LIST, ( and soon to be
not used)
IN DOSAGE CALC FOLDER
• They are changing as we speak