Calculation Of Intravenous Flow Rates Worksheet With Answer Key - Red River College Page 4
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1210.
Calculate the drops per minute (gtt/ min) for each of the above using a microdrip
administration.
a.
b.
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d.
e.
RECALCULATING IV FLOW RATES WHEN TOO FAST OR TOO SLOW
It is your responsibility to maintain the patient’s IV at its ordered rate. A variety of
circumstances (i.e. gravity, movement of the patient, location of the IV insertion site) may alter
the IV flow rate causing it to run ahead or behind schedule. If this occurs, you may want to
temporarily recalculate the flow rate to get the IV back “on time”. While there is little concern
about slowing an IV rate (even as slow as TKO), the same cannot be said for increasing an IV
rate. In general, it is acceptable practice for the nurse to increase the flow rate by no more than
25% of the original order without a physician’s order.
In all instances, before deciding to recalculate a patient’s IV flow rate, you should consider
notifying the physician as warranted by the patient’s condition, hospital policy and good nursing
judgment.
NOTE:
If your patient’s IV contains KCl, be sure that you do not recalculate the flow
rate without considering the implications of the patient receiving additional KCl
along with the additional IV solution.
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