Final answer:
A nurse should be concerned with the concentration of IV solutions to maintain osmolarity, prevent cellular damage, and ensure appropriate treatment without causing harm or fatal consequences.
Step-by-step explanation:
A nurse should care about the concentration of dextrose or normal saline IV solution because isotonic solutions are crucial for maintaining the body's osmolarity.
If solutions that are not isotonic, such as hypotonic or hypertonic solutions, are administered, they can cause cells to swell or shrink due to osmotic imbalances, leading to potential cellular damage or hemolysis of red blood cells. Using isotonic IV solutions like normal saline prevents this by matching the osmolarity of the body fluids.
Ensuring the correct concentration is also crucial as miscalculations can result in a dose that’s either too weak to be effective or too strong, potentially causing harm or even being fatal. For example, in the case of hypokalemia, a precise calculation of potassium chloride (KCl) is required to restore electrolyte balance without causing adverse effects.