Which of the following is a common drop factor for IV administration?

Which of the following is a common drop factor for IV administration?

• A. 10 gtt/min
• B. 15 gtt/min
• C. 60 gtt/mL
• D. 120 gtt/min

Answer: (C)

Drop factor is the number of drops that make up one milliliter and comes from the IV tubing. It’s used to convert a drops-per-minute rate into flow in milliliters per hour. Common tubing types include macrodrip (roughly 10, 15, or 20 drops per mL) and microdrip (about 60 drops per mL). So, 60 gtt/mL is a widely used standard drop factor, making it the typical choice for a common drop factor. The other options describe infusion rates (drops per minute) or use units that reflect a rate rather than the tubing’s drop factor, so they don’t represent the drop factor itself.

Drop factor is the number of drops that make up one milliliter and comes from the IV tubing. It’s used to convert a drops-per-minute rate into flow in milliliters per hour. Common tubing types include macrodrip (roughly 10, 15, or 20 drops per mL) and microdrip (about 60 drops per mL). So, 60 gtt/mL is a widely used standard drop factor, making it the typical choice for a common drop factor. The other options describe infusion rates (drops per minute) or use units that reflect a rate rather than the tubing’s drop factor, so they don’t represent the drop factor itself.