What Is a Parkland Burn Fluid Resuscitation Calculator?
Major burns cause massive fluid shifts as damaged capillaries leak plasma into surrounding tissue. The Parkland formula is the most widely taught starting point for calculating how much IV crystalloid fluid a burn patient needs in the first 24 hours to prevent burn shock, based on body weight and the percentage of total body surface area (%TBSA) burned.
This calculator applies the standard 4 mL/kg/%TBSA formula and splits the total volume into the correct 8-hour and 16-hour infusion windows.
How to Read Your Results
Total 24-Hour Fluid
The full estimated crystalloid volume (usually lactated Ringer's) needed over the first 24 hours after the burn.
First 8 Hours & Rate
Half the total volume is given in the first 8 hours, counted from the time of the burn — not from when treatment starts. If time has already passed since the injury, the calculator adjusts the rate so the same volume is delivered over the time remaining in that window.
Next 16 Hours & Rate
The remaining half of the total volume is infused steadily over the following 16 hours.
Real-World Example
A 70 kg adult sustains 20% TBSA partial-thickness burns and arrives at the hospital 1 hour after the injury.
| Value | Result |
|---|---|
| Total 24-hr fluid (4 × 70 × 20) | 5,600 mL |
| First half (given by hour 8) | 2,800 mL over remaining 7 hrs ≈ 400 mL/hr |
| Second half | 2,800 mL over 16 hrs ≈ 175 mL/hr |
These are starting rates only — they are adjusted continuously based on the patient's actual urine output and clinical response.
Tips for Burn Fluid Resuscitation
- Only count partial- and full-thickness burns toward %TBSA; superficial burns don't count.
- Titrate to urine output — roughly 0.5 mL/kg/hr in adults, 1 mL/kg/hr in children — not just the formula.
- Start the clock at time of injury, which is often earlier than arrival at a facility.
- Pediatric patients typically also receive maintenance fluids on top of the Parkland volume.
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Last updated: August 2026 · Reviewed by: Simple Calculator Tools Editorial Team