Final answer:
The healthcare provider's prescription of 30 meq of potassium chloride every 8 hours is within the recommended safe range of 10 to 100 meq per day for adults. In a hospital setting for IV preparation, an aide would perform a dilution calculation to achieve the desired concentration of potassium chloride. Potassium plays a key role in maintaining the concentration gradients within the body's cells and overall function.
Step-by-step explanation:
The healthcare provider has ordered potassium chloride 30 meq to be taken by mouth (po) every 8 hours (q8h) for an adult with hypokalemia. Given that the recommended adult dose is between 10 and 100 meq per day in divided doses, we can calculate the total daily dose prescribed by multiplying 30 meq by the three doses that will be given in a 24-hour period (30 meq × 3 = 90 meq/day). This is within the safe range as it falls between the recommended 10 to 100 meq/day.
In the context of preparing an IV solution, as described by LibreTexts™ in the emergency room scenario, an aide would not typically find an IV bag with the exact concentration of KCl needed. Instead, a dilution calculation is performed using a syringe to draw up a concentrated stock solution of KCl and then injecting it into a sterile IV bag to achieve the desired concentration.
Understanding the importance of potassium in the body, especially potassium concentration gradients between the intracellular fluid (ICF) and extracellular fluid (ECF), is crucial for treating electrolyte imbalances such as hypokalemia. Potassium's role is significant in maintaining the resting membrane potential in neurons and muscle fibers as well as in renal function, where it is excreted through the renal tubules.