TITLE:
Drop Factor and Infusion Dose Calculation Discrepancies among Nurses in Southern Nigeria: A Cross-Sectional Study
AUTHORS:
Chinemerem Eleke, Ifeyinwa S. Agu, Sabinah Ngbala-Okpabi, Joy C. Samuel, Esther N. Bempong-Eleke
KEYWORDS:
Adult, Infusions, Intravenous, Pharmacies, Nigeria
JOURNAL NAME:
Journal of Biosciences and Medicines,
Vol.11 No.9,
September
1,
2023
ABSTRACT: Nurses must deliver infusions as prescribed since too slow or fast a dose could be deleterious to patients. Nurses experience challenges with infusion dose calculations, making them vulnerable to errors. The research team examined drop factor and infusion dose calculation discrepancies among nurses in southern Nigeria. Five university teaching hospitals were involved in this cross-sectional study conducted in 2019. To establish the drop factor of commonly available macro drip sets, the team randomly sourced 25 macro drip sets from the hospitals’ pharmacies. A sample of 291 nurses was selected using a proportionate random sampling technique. The team collected data using the Adult Infusion Dose Calculation Quiz and analyzed it at a 5% significance level. Twenty (80%) of the sampled macro drip sets displayed a drop factor value of 20 drops per milliliter (gtt/ml) on their packaging. When measured experimentally, 25 (100%) of the macro drip sets delivered exactly 20 gtt/ml. Only 36 (12.4%) respondents calculated macro drip infusion doses using the correct drop factor of 20 gtt/ml. Non-attendance of infusion administration training updates significantly increased the risk of error by 38% (p ≤ 0.001). In conclusion, the drop factor of macro drip sets used in southern Nigeria is 20 gtt/ml; nurses were prone to infusing patients at a lower dose than prescribed. Special training in infusion therapy might remedy this concern.