Enter the volume of fluid to be administered and the time over which the fluid should be administered into the calculator to determine the drop factor.

Drop Factor Formula

The following formula is used to calculate the drop factor. 

DF = (V / T) * F

Variables:

  • DF is the drop factor (drops/min) V is the volume of fluid to be administered (ml) T is the time over which the fluid should be administered (min) F is the drop factor of the administration set (drops/ml)

To calculate the drop factor, divide the volume of fluid to be administered by the time over which the fluid should be administered. Multiply the result by the drop factor of the administration set.

What is a Drop Factor?

A drop factor is a term used in medical science, particularly in intravenous (IV) therapy, to calculate the rate of an IV drip. It refers to the number of drops (gtts) needed to deliver one milliliter (ml) of fluid. It is usually measured in gtts/ml and is often indicated on the IV tubing packaging. The drop factor is crucial in determining the correct dosage and speed of an IV infusion to ensure the patient receives the right amount of medication or fluid.

How to Calculate Drop Factor?

The following steps outline how to calculate the Drop Factor.

  1. First, determine the volume of fluid to be administered (V) in milliliters (ml).
  2. Next, determine the time over which the fluid should be administered (T) in minutes (min).
  3. Next, determine the drop factor of the administration set (F) in drops per milliliter (drops/ml).
  4. Next, use the formula DF = (V / T) * F to calculate the drop factor.
  5. Finally, calculate the Drop Factor.
  6. After inserting the variables and calculating the result, check your answer with the calculator above.

Example Problem : 

Use the following variables as an example problem to test your knowledge.

volume of fluid to be administered (V) = 500 ml

time over which the fluid should be administered (T) = 60 min

drop factor of the administration set (F) = 20 drops/ml