The healthcare provider prescribes 0.9% normal saline intravenous (IV) to infuse at a keep-open rate of 70 mL per hour. The drop factor is 15 drops per mL. The nurse should regulate the infusion to administer how many drops per minute? (Enter numeric value only. If rounding is required, round to the nearest whole number.)

Calculation: Infusion rate mL per hour = 70 mL/hour Convert the infusion rate from hours to minutes: Infusion rate (mL/minute) = Infusion rate (mL/hour) / 60 minutes/hour = 70 mL/hour / 60 minutes/hour ≈ 1.1667 mL/minute Identify the drop factor of the IV tubing: 15 drops/mL Calculate the infusion rate in drops per minute (drops/minute): Infusion rate (drops/minute) = Infusion rate (mL/minute) x Drop factor (drops/mL) = 1.1667 mL/minute x 15 drops/mL ≈ 17.5 drops/minute Round to the nearest whole number: = 18 drops/minute