Lesson overview
Medication Infusion Rate Calculations: mg/hr & mg/min
Ready when you are
Start with short teaching slides, then answer the lesson questions. Your progress stays on this browser.
Learning outcomes
What you will learn
- distinguish the fluid rate (mL/hr) from the medicine rate (mg/hr)
- find mg/hr from concentration and mL/hr
- convert mg/hr ↔ mg/min
- reverse-check the answer
- keep matching units and infusion state throughout
Clinical connection
Why this matters
mL/hr, mg/hr and mg/min can appear in the same question. Keeping the unit beside every number makes it much harder to mistake the pump's fluid rate for the medication rate.
Quick concept
How concentration connects mL/hr to mg/hr
A pump rate in mL/hr describes solution volume, while mg/hr describes medication dose rate. Use the verified medication concentration in mg/mL to connect them. If the question asks for mg/min, convert the time unit after finding mg/hr.
Formula
medication rate (mg/hr) = concentration (mg/mL) × pump rate (mL/hr)
Worked example
Educational example: a practice solution is 2 mg/mL and the matching current rate is 15 mL/hr.
2 mg/mL × 15 mL/hr = 30 mg/hr; 30 ÷ 60 = 0.5 mg/min
Answer: 30 mg/hr, which is 0.5 mg/min
A calculated dose rate describes the supplied values; it does not authorise administration, verify actual pump output or replace medicine-specific guidance and device checks.
Lesson plan
How the lesson works
- 1
Learn
Short teaching slides explain one idea at a time with plain-language examples.
- 2
Practise
Answer calculation or scenario questions and receive immediate feedback.
- 3
Finish
Complete the lesson check and save your learning progress on this browser.
Keep going
Learn, practise, apply and check this skill
Use the page that matches what you need next. Each resource has a different job, so the lesson can stay focused on teaching the skill.
Practise
mg/hr & mg/min practice questions
Practise fixed medication-rate calculations and time-unit conversions.
Understand
Medication dose rate vs pump rate
Review the difference between mL/hr, mg/hr and mg/min and how concentration connects them.
Check
IV calculators
Browse the IV calculator family for calculations that match the available inputs.
Apply
Medication & IV Safety cases
Apply medication-rate arithmetic inside realistic infusion workflows.