Final answer:
The next step for the nurse caring for a client with a potassium level of 3.2 mEq/L, after being unable to contact the provider for 1 hour, should be to notify the charge nurse about the situation to ensure prompt intervention for hypokalemia.
Step-by-step explanation:
The student has been asked about the appropriate nursing actions for a client with a potassium level of 3.2 mEq/L. When a provider has not responded for an hour regarding a potassium level, the nurse should consider escalating the issue within the hospital's chain of command. In this case, the correct course of action would be c) Notify the charge nurse about the situation. This is vital because the patient's potassium level is slightly low (hypokalemia), and timely treatment is needed to avoid complications. Administering potassium without orders (option a) is not safe and breaches nursing protocol. Waiting indefinitely for the provider (option b) could endanger the patient, and while documenting the level (option d) is necessary, it is not a direct action to rectify the situation.
Potassium is a crucial electrolyte necessary for the proper function of cells, especially for the establishment of resting membrane potential in neurons and muscle fibers. Normal serum potassium levels are critical, and homeostatic mechanisms tightly regulate it. The nurse's understanding of these physiological principles and the urgency of maintaining potassium balance influence the decision to escalate a patient's abnormal potassium level to the charge nurse for further action.