65-year old patient requires Vamin 9®, a total parenteral nutritional feed, to be administered over 3 hours. One 20mL vial of Addiphos® solution and one 10mL vial of Additrace® solution for infusion are added to 500mL of Vamin 9®. The administration set is calibrated to 20 drops per mL.
Calculate the number of drops per minute to be given if the patient is to receive all of the solution in the specified time. Give your answer to the nearest whole number.
Total volume of infusion solution is 500 + 20 + 10 = 530mL (to be administered over 3 hours).
Giving set is calibrated to 20 drops/mL therefore 530mL contains 530 x 20 = 10600 drops.
10600 drops to be given over 3 hours (180 mins) = 10600/180 = 58.8 = 59 drops/min