When calculating the drops per minute for an infusion of 2000 mL over 24 hours, what is the correct flow rate using a drop factor of 15 gtt/mL?

To determine the correct flow rate for an infusion of 2000 mL to be administered over 24 hours using a drop factor of 15 gtt/mL, you'll first need to calculate the total volume to be infused per hour and then convert that rate into drops per minute.

Begin by converting the total volume in mL (2000 mL) into an hourly rate. Since the total infusion time is 24 hours:

[ \text{Volume per hour} = \frac{2000 \text{ mL}}{24 \text{ hours}} \approx 83.33 \text{ mL/hour} ]

Next, to find the flow rate in drops per minute, you'll need to multiply the volume per hour by the drop factor:

[ \text{Drops per hour} = 83.33 \text{ mL/hour} \times 15 \text{ gtt/mL} = 1250 \text{ gtt/hour} ]

Then, convert drops per hour to drops per minute:

[ \text{Drops per minute} = \frac{1250 \text{ gtt/hour}}{60 \text{ minutes/hour}} \approx 20.83 \text