rock_shoes Posted January 30, 2009 Share Posted January 30, 2009 I belive there are no drugs involved but would that make a difference? If so then what is the difference? How do you maintenan the rates with NS,D5W,Ringer's ect? Running medications makes a big difference. You may for example need to run medication at 0.01mg/Kg/hour using a solution that is 0.1mg/mL. From that you need to calculate the appropriate drip rate. If you're keeping a maintenance rate with just NS, D5W, Ringer's ect. things are much simpler. There are certain rates that are typically appropriate and easy to maintain. 1gtt/6 seconds for example corresponds to 60mL/hr (with a 10gtt/mL set). Here is how that's calculated. Divide 60 seconds by the number of seconds between drips. With 6 seconds between drips the answer is 10 drips in 60 seconds. With a 10gtt/mL set 10gtt/min corresponds to 1mL/min(60seconds). To get the rate in mL/hour multiply by 60 (60 min in an hour right). 1mL/min=60mL/hour (a good maintenance rate for many sizes of IV catheter). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
crotchitymedic1986 Posted January 30, 2009 Share Posted January 30, 2009 Since no one has actually answered your question, here is a link that may help: http://home.hiwaay.net/~theholt1/NURS1100/iv-calc.htm I wouldnt worry about "med-drip" calculations as that is way over your head for now. As far as IV drip rates, in reality you are probably only going to have two drip rates, KVO and wide open. But it is good that you want to be precise, and learn things that are above your skill set, keep it up. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
spenac Posted January 30, 2009 Share Posted January 30, 2009 "Question? on dirp rates" Whats a "dirp"? :?: :wink: Here's a link to calculations for Paramedics. http://www.cityofsomerset.com/ems/IV%20Dru...alculations.pdf Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fireflymedic Posted January 30, 2009 Share Posted January 30, 2009 There's another great resource called drug calculations for the busy paramedic. Look it up on google and you should be able to find it. Good luck. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
spenac Posted January 30, 2009 Share Posted January 30, 2009 There's another great resource called drug calculations for the busy paramedic. Look it up on google and you should be able to find it. Good luck. Thats what is in the link I provided. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dustdevil Posted January 30, 2009 Share Posted January 30, 2009 It is not a dumb question. It gives a lot of people troubles. You are, however, over your head. It is a wholly inappropriate question for you to be pondering at this point in your professional development. No, it is not normal or even advisable for an EMT to learn this, or you would have learned it in EMT school, wouldn't you have? There are a heck of a lot more important things about medicine and the human body that you do not know, that is within your scope of practice, to be wasting time on things that are of no concern to you. It's pointless and counterproductive. Once you can tell me about acid-base balance, fluid and electrolytes, and renin/angiotensin/aldosterone from confident memory, then you might be ready for IV calculations. Right now you don't even know the indications for an IV, or which IV solution to choose. Is this really the proper time to be learning drip rates? It's just random information with zero relevance to your practice for a long time to come. Spend you time on things that matter to you now. When it comes to skills, if you have not yet been taught it, then you do not yet need it. And attempting to teach yourself things randomly, out of context, and out of any scientific order will hurt you in your professional development, not help you. Do not focus on skills. Focus on knowledge of the human body. That is what medical practice at any level is all about, not skills. And, as always forumulas suck. Especially for those who are weak in math. Forget formulas. Just figure it out logically. Anyone who can pass Algebra I in college can easily figure out driprates without a formula. If not -- or if you have not yet passed Algebra I -- then you're not ready. Good luck! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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