Mike’s Drug Math Packet Answer Sheet

Formulas to Remember

For running fluid:

Rate (in cc) X Drip Factor / Time (in mins)
For IV bolus medication administration:
Desired Dose (ie mcg, mg, etc) / Concentration
For IV Medication Infusion:
Desired Dose (ie mcg/min, mg/min) / Concentration X Drip Factor

Running Fluid

1. You have been ordered to run D5W at 200 mL/hr using a 15 gtt/mL Macrodrip.
What’s the rate? 200 mL
What’s the Drip Factor? 15 gtt/mL
For how long (Time)? 60 mins

200 mL X 15 gtt/mL / 60 min = 50 gtt/min

2. You have a macrodrip set at 10 gtt/mL and are ordered to run D5W at 400 mL/hr.
How many gtt/min?

400 mL X 10 gtt/mL / 60 min = 67 gtt/min

3. You need to run NSS at 100 mL/hr using a microdrip set. How many gtt/min?

100 mL X 60 gtt/mL / 60 min = 100 gtt/min

4. You have a 10gtt/mL macrodrip and want to run NSS at 100 mL/hr. How many
gtts/min?

100 mL X 10 gtt/mL / 60 min = 17 gtt/min

5. You are ordered to use a 20gtt/mL macrodrip and run 100mL/ ½ hr. How many
gtts/min

100 mL X 20 gtt/mL / 30 min = 67 gtt/min

6. You want to run 500 mL of lactated ringer’s over 6 hours using a microdrip set.
How many gtts/min?

500 mL X 60 gtt/mL / 360 min = 83 gtt/min

 7. Using a microdrip set, you want to administer 20 mL/kg over 2 hours to a
dehydrated 3-yr old that weighs 35 pounds. How many gtts/min?

35 lbs = 16 kg
Rate = 20 mL X 16 kg = 320 mL

320 mL X 60 gtt/mL / 120 mins = 160 gtt/min

8. Using a 20 gtt/mL macrodrip set, you are ordered to give 400 mL/hr. How many
gtts/min?

400 mL X 20 gtt/mL / 60 mins = 140 gtt/min

9. You have been ordered to give 20 mL/kg over 10 minutes to a cardiac arrest
infant via IO. The infant weighs 22 pounds. You need to select the most
appropriate drip set. Select a drip factor set and figure out how many gtts/min.

22 lbs = 10 kg
Rate 20 mL X 10 kg = 200 mL

200 mL X 10 gtt/min / 10 mins = 200 gtt/min

200 mL X 15 gtt/min / 10 mins = 300 gtt/min
200 mL X 20 gtt/min / 10 mins = 400 gtt/min
200 mL X 60 gtt/min / 10mins = 1200 gtt/min

The most appropriate action is to use the 10 drop set. It gives you an
easier method by which to count the drip rate.

10. Using a 15 gtt/mL macrodrip set, run 600 mL of Normal Saline (NSS) over 1
hour. How many gtts/min>

600 mL X 15 gtt/mL / 60 min = 150 gtt/min

IV Bolus Medication Administration

11. You need to give 6 mg of adenosine. It comes packaged as 6 mg in 2 mL. How

many mL do you give?

DD = 6 mg
C = 6 mg/2 mL = 3 mg/mL

DD / C = 6 mg / 3 mg/mL = 2 mL
12. You are ordered to give 40 mg of furosemide. It is prepared as 100mg in 10 mL.
How many mL do you give?

DD = 40 mg
C = 100 mg/10 mL = 10 mg/mL

DD / C = 40 mg / 10 mg/mL = 4 mL

13. You are ordered to give 2.5 mg of 1:1000 Epinephrine ET. How many mL do
you give?

DD = 2.5 mg
C = 1 mg/1 mL

DD / C = 2.5 mg / 1 mg/mL = 2.5 mL

14. You must give 0.3 mg of 1:10,000 Epinephrine IV. How many mL do you give?

DD = 0.3 mg
C = 1 mg/10 mL = 0.1 mg/mL

DD / C = 0.3 mg / 0.1 mg/mL = 3 mL

15. You want to give 1.5 mg/kg of Lidocaine to a patient who weighs 187 pounds. It
is packaged as 100 mg in 5 mL. How many mL do you give?

187 pounds = 85 kg
DD = 1.5 mg/kg X 85 kg = 128 mg
C = 100 mg/5 mL = 20 mg/mL

DD / C = 128 mg / 20 mg/mL = 6.4 mL

16. You are ordered to give 50 mEq of Sodium Bicarbonate. It is supplied as 50 mEq
in 50 mL prefilled syringe. How many mL do you give?

DD = 50 mEq
C = 50 mEq/50 mL = 1 mEq/mL

DD / C = 50 mEq / 50 mEq/mL = 50 mL
17. You need to give 0.5 mg/kg of furosemide to a patient in CHF. The patient
weighs 240 pounds. Furosemide is provided as 40 mg in 10 mL. How many mL
do you give?

240 pounds = 109 kg

DD = 0.5 mg/kg X 109 kg = 55 mg
C = 40 mg/10 mL = 4 mg/mL

DD / C = 55 mg / 4 mg/mL = 14 mL

18. You need to put 400 mg of dopamine into a 250 mL bag of D5W. Dopamine is
supplied as 4 Grams in a 30 mL vial. How many mL do I push into the bag?
How will this alter my IV drip calculation for dopamine?

DD = 400 mg
C = 4000 mg/30 mL = 133 mg/mL

DD / C = 400 mg / 133 mg/mL = 3 mL

19. You are ordered to administer 0.25 mg/kg of diltiazem to your patient in atrial
fibrillation. She weighs 165 pounds. Diltiazem is prepared as 20 mg in 5 mL.
How many mL do you give?

165 pounds = 75 kg
DD = 0.25 mg/kg X 75 kg = 19 mg
C = 20 mg/5 mL = 4 mg/mL

DD / C = 19 mg / 4 mg/mL = 5 mL

20. You have 1 mg of Epinephrine in 1 mL ampule. You want to make this a

1:10,000 solution. How many mL of NSS must I add to my syringe to make this
possible? Explain the steps you would need to do to make this possible.

DD = 1 mg
C = 1 mg/10 mL = 0.1 mg/mL

DD / C = 1 mg / 0.1 mg/mL = 10 mL

You already have 1 mL of solution, so you need to ONLY add 9 mL!

IV Infusion Calculations

21. You are ordered to administer a Lidocaine drip at 3 mg/min. The standard
Lidocaine mix is 1 G in 250 mL. Your patient weighs 220 pounds. You use a
microdrip set. How many gtts/min?

DD = 3 mg/min
C = 1 G/250 mL = 1000 mg/250 mL = 4 mg/mL
DF = 60 gtt/mL
DD / C X DF = 3 mg/min / 4 mg/mL X 60 gtt/mL = 45 gtt/min

22. Using a microdrip set, you want to administer 6 mcg/min of Isoproterenol. You
have 1 mg in 250 mL and your patient weighs 190 pounds. How many gtts/min?

DD = 6 mcg/min
C = 1 mg/250 mL = 1000 mcg/250 mL = 4 mcg/mL
DF = 60 gtt/mL
DD / C X DF = 6 mg/min / 4 mg/mL X 60 gtt/mL = 90 gtt/min

23. You are to administer an Epinephrine drip at 0.25 mg/min. You have it prepared
as 30 mg in 250 mL. Your patient weighs 180 pounds and you use a microdrip
set. How many gtts/min?

DD = 0.25 mg/min
C = 30 mg/250 mL = 0.12 mg/mL
DF = 60 gtt/mL
DD / C X DF = 0.25 mg/min / 0.12 mg/mL X 60 gtt/mL = 125 gtt/min

24. You are ordered to hang Dobutamine (500 mg in 250 mL) to a 220-pound patient
at a rate of 10 mcg/kg/min. Using a microdrip set, how many gtts/min?

220 pounds = 100 kg

DD = 10 mcg/kg/min X 100 kg = 1000 mcg/min
C = 500 mg/250 mL = 2 mg/mL = 2000 mcg/mL
DF = 60 gtt/mL
DD / C X DF = 1000 mcg/min / 2000 mcg/mL X 60 gtt/mL = 30 gtt/min

25. You are ordered to hang Dopamine (400 mg in 250 mL) to a 187-pound patient at
a rate of 8 mcg/kg/min. Using a microdrip set, how many gtts/min?

187 pounds = 85 kg
DD = 8 mcg/kg/min X 85 kg = 680 mcg/min
C = 400 mg/250 mL = 1.6 mg/mL = 1600 mcg/mL
DF = 60 gtt/mL
DD / C X DF = 680 mcg/min / 1600 mcg/mL X 60 gtt/mL = 26 gtt/min
26. You are ordered to hang Dopamine (800 mg in 250 mL) to a 260-pound patient at
a rate of 15 mcg/kg/min. Using a microdrip set, how many gtts/min?

260 pounds = 118 kg

DD = 15 mcg/kg/min X 118 kg = 1770 mcg/min
C = 800 mg/250 mL = 3.2 mg/mL = 3200 mcg/mL
DF = 60 gtt/mL
DD / C X DF = 1770 mcg/min / 3200 mcg/mL X 60 gtt/mL = 33 gtt/min

27. You are ordered to hang Lidocaine (2G in 500 mL) to a 220-pound patient at a
rate of 4mg/min. Using a microdrip set, how many gtts/min?

DD = 4 mg/min
C = 2 G/500 mL = 2000 mg/500 mL = 4 mg/mL
DF = 60 gtt/mL
DD / C X DF = 4 mg/min / 4 mg/mL X 60 gtt/mL = 60 gtt/min

28. You are ordered to hang Lidocaine (2G in 250 mL) to a 165-pound patient at a
rate of 6 mg/min. Using a microdrip set, how many gtts/min?

DD = 6 mg/min
C = 2 G/250 mL = 2000 mg/250 mL = 8 mg/mL
DF = 60 gtt/mL
DD / C X DF = 6 mg/min / 8 mg/mL X 60 gtt/mL = 45 gtt/min

29. You are ordered to hang Dobutamine (250 mg in 250 mL) to a 165-pound patient
at a rate of 5 mcg/kg/min. Using a microdrip set, how many gtts/min?

165 pounds = 75 kg
DD = 5 mcg/min X 75 kg = 375 mcg/min
C = 250 mg/250 mL = 1 mg/1 mL = 1000 mcg/mL
DF = 60 gtt/mL
DD / C X DF = 375 mg/min / 1000 mg/mL X 60 gtt/mL = 23 gtt/min

30. You are ordered to hang Isoproterenol (5 mg in 250 mL) to a 220-pound patient at
a rate of 20 mcg/min. Using a microdrip set, how many gtts/min?

DD = 20 mcg/min
C = 5 mg / 250 mL = 5000 mcg/ 250 mL = 20 mcg/mL
DD / C X DF = 20 mcg/min / 20 mcg/mL X 60 gtt/mL = 60 gtt/min