RUHS, Jaipur, PB B.Sc Nursing Entrance-2022
Nursing Foundation
Hard
1000 ml of normal saline to be infused over 12 hours. The flow rate should be ? (drop factor 15 drops per ml)
Appeared in: RUHS, Jaipur, PB B.Sc Nursing Entrance-2022
Explanation
- The calculation requires converting the total infusion time from hours to minutes (12 hours × 60 min/hr = 720 minutes).
- The formula for drops per minute is: (Total Volume in mL × Drop Factor) / Total Time in minutes.
- Substituting the values: (1000 mL × 15 gtt/mL) / 720 min = 15000 / 720 = 20.83 gtt/min.
- Since drops must be whole numbers, 20.83 is rounded to the nearest whole number, which is 21.
- Therefore, the correct flow rate is 21 drops per minute.
Why Other Options Were Wrong
- Option A: This rate is too slow. It would result from a calculation error, such as incorrectly assuming an infusion time of 1000 minutes instead of 720 minutes [(1000 * 15) / 1000 = 15].
- Option B: This rate is incorrect and likely the result of a mathematical error during division or multiplication. It does not match the calculated rate of 20.83 gtt/min.
- Option D: This rate is too fast. It might result from miscalculating the total time, for instance, using approximately 11 hours (660 minutes) instead of 12 hours [(1000 * 15) / 660 ≈ 22.7].
Related Visual
Clinical Relevance
- Nursing practice connection: This is primarily an exam-oriented knowledge point with limited direct bedside application, so retain IV flow rate calculation as background academic context rather than a clinical decision trigger.
- Accurate IV flow rate calculation is a critical nursing competency to ensure patient safety and therapeutic effectiveness. Incorrect rates can lead to fluid overload, dehydration, or sub-therapeutic medication levels.
- Nurses must always double-check their calculations, especially for critical medications or vulnerable patients (e.g., pediatric, elderly, cardiac, or renal patients).
- What if? If the patient had a history of heart failure, the nurse would need to be extra vigilant. Even with a correct calculation, the nurse should monitor for signs of fluid overload like shortness of breath, crackles in the lungs, or edema. Any such signs would require immediately stopping the infusion and notifying the provider.
How to Approach the Question
- First, identify all the necessary components from the question: Total Volume (1000 mL), Total Time (12 hours), and Drop Factor (15 gtt/mL).
- Recognize that the required unit is 'drops per minute'. This means you must convert the total time from hours to minutes.
- Recall or look up the standard formula for IV drip rate calculation: Flow Rate = (Volume × Drop Factor) / Time in minutes.
- Substitute the values into the formula and perform the calculation carefully.
- Pay close attention to the final step: rounding. Since you cannot have a fraction of a drop, round your answer to the nearest whole number.
- Compare your calculated result to the given options to find the correct answer.
Concept Tested & Keywords
- Concept Tested: IV flow rate calculation
- Stem keywords: 1000 ml, normal saline, 12 hours, drop factor 15
- Lead-in keywords: flow rate
Question ID
QOGFgUxpfKtFT36Dm1AoI4
Reference Book
E6 Pharmacology Nurses Shanbhag 3e p. 54-56
E6 Nursing Fundamentals Potter Perry 12e Part 5 p. 93-95
E6 Nursing Fundamentals Taylor p. 1127-1129
Practise the full RUHS, Jaipur, PB B.Sc Nursing Entrance-2022
Attempt every question from this paper in a timed mock, then review the full solution for each one.
More Fluid, electrolytes & Acid-base balances Questions
- A nurse is asked to give 1000 ml of normal saline at flow rate of 125 ml per hour. How much time it will take to complete this fluid?
- A nurse on PICU is advised to give 400 ml fluid to be given on 8 hours, drop factor is 60 drop per minute. Nurse will run this fluid at what flow rat…
- Which is the most accurate way to assess hydration level?
- Which of the following methods used by the nurse is the most reliable indicator of a patient's fluid balance status?
- In a patient with acute renal failure, hypertonic glucose, insulin infusion and sodium bicarbonate can be used to treat?
- Intravenous solution of 0.45% sodium chloride is a/an solution.
- A patient is to receive 1000 mL of IV fluid in 6 hours. The drop factor is 15 drops per ml. At approximately how many drops per minute should the flo…
- A patient admitted in a surgical ward with an open wound. The nurse knows that the wound should be covered by a moist sterile pad to prevent?
- A Doctor ordered to administer a hypotonic intravenous solution to a client. Looking at the following labelled solution, the nurse should choose?
- Which cation level affects the overall concentration of the extracellular fluid?
More RUHS, Jaipur, PB B.Sc Nursing Entrance-2022 Questions
- Foetoscope is used to -
- Fundal height at the 24th week of pregnancy is ?
- Normal fetal heart rate at 38 weeks of gestational period is ?
- Fetal movement that is felt by the mother from 18th week of gestation is called ?
- Which type of pelvis has rounded brim?
- Which of the following is not an indication of caesarean section?
- At the 10cm dilatation of cervix during labor, fetal heart rate should be assessed at least-
- A mother in labor has been pushing effectively for 1 hour. The primary physiological need of mother in between contractions is ?
- Softening and blue purple discoloration of cervix in early pregnancy is called-
- Which of the following nursing intervention is most appropriate initially if uterus feels soft and boggy in the immediate post-partum period?