One (1) tsp equals to how many drops?

Appeared in: Haryana CHO -2023

Explanation

In nursing and pharmacology, a standard set of equivalents is used for medication calculations to ensure safety and consistency.
One teaspoon (tsp) is equivalent to 5 milliliters (mL).
The conversion to drops (gtt) is based on the apothecary system, where 1 teaspoon (or 1 fluid dram) is equivalent to 60 minims.
Since one minim is approximated as one drop, 1 teaspoon is considered equal to 60 drops (gtt).
This is a standard conversion used in nursing examinations for dosage calculations, even though physical drop sizes can vary.

Option A: 15 drops (gtt) is the standard conversion for 1 milliliter (mL) when using a macrodrip IV infusion set, not for 1 teaspoon.
Option C: 10 drops (gtt) is a possible drop factor for 1 mL in some macrodrip IV sets, but it is not the standard equivalent for a teaspoon.
Option D: 30 is the number of milliliters (mL) in one fluid ounce (oz), or two tablespoons. It is not the number of drops in a teaspoon.

Clinical Relevance

Nursing practice connection: This is primarily an exam-oriented knowledge point with limited direct bedside application, so retain Medication dosage calculation and measurement equivalents as background academic context rather than a clinical decision trigger.
Accurate medication calculation is a critical nursing skill to prevent medication errors and ensure patient safety.
Nurses must educate patients and their families to use standardized measuring devices like oral syringes or medicine cups instead of household spoons, which are inaccurate and can lead to dosing errors.
What if? If a patient was prescribed 5 mL of a medication and the only available measuring tool was a dropper from a microdrip set (60 gtt/mL), the nurse would administer 300 drops (5 mL x 60 gtt/mL). This highlights the importance of knowing the specific drop factor of the device being used.

How to Approach the Question

This is a factual recall question that tests your knowledge of standard medication measurement conversions.
First, identify the units being converted: teaspoons (tsp) to drops (gtt).
Recall the standard equivalents used in nursing. Remember that 1 tsp = 5 mL.
Recall the standard conversion from teaspoons to drops, which is based on the apothecary system (1 fluid dram = 60 minims ≈ 60 drops).
Evaluate the options provided and select the one that matches the standard conversion used in clinical calculations.
Differentiate this from IV drop factors (gtt/mL), which can vary, to avoid confusion.

Concept Tested & Keywords

QI7N-Hxu0ZY5U4bo6Ya92D

E6 Nursing Fundamentals Potter Perry 12e Part 3 p. 140-142

E6 Pharmacology Nurses Shanbhag 3e p. 55-57

Practise the full Haryana CHO -2023

Attempt every question from this paper in a timed mock, then review the full solution for each one.