Which IV drip rate is calculated for administering 500 mL of D5W in 2 hours using macrodrip tubing with a rate of 15 gtt/mL?

To determine the IV drip rate for administering 500 mL of D5W over 2 hours using macrodrip tubing with a drop factor of 15 gtt/mL, you start by calculating the total volume in milliliters and converting the time to minutes.

First, convert the 2-hour administration time into minutes:

2 hours × 60 minutes/hour = 120 minutes.

Next, you can find the drip rate in mL per minute:

500 mL / 120 minutes = 4.17 mL/min.

Now, using the drop factor of the macrodrip tubing, convert the mL/min rate into drops per minute:

4.17 mL/min × 15 gtt/mL = 62.55 gtt/min.

When rounding to the nearest whole number, this comes out to approximately 63 gtt/min. Therefore, this calculation provides a precise estimate for the drip rate required to ensure that the 500 mL of D5W is infused over the designated time frame using the specified drop factor in macrodrip tubing.

Arriving at this answer reflects an understanding of IV fluid administration principles, including volume and time conversion, along with the application of the drop factor.