Question

A nurse is preparing to administer potassium chloride 40 mEq to infuse over 4 hr to a client. Available is potassium chloride 40 mEq in 100 mL dextrose 5 % in 0.45 % sodium chloride (Ds 0.45 % NaCl). The nurse should set the infusion pump to deliver how many mL/hr? (Round the answer to the nearest whole number. Use a leading zero if it applies. Do not use trailing zero.)

A. 25 mL/hr.
B. 30 mL/hr.
C. 35 mL/hr.

Answer 1

To administer 40 mEq of potassium chloride over 4 hours, the nurse should set the infusion pump to 25 mL/hr, which is obtained by dividing the total solution volume (100 mL) by the total infusion time (4 hr). The correct option is (A)

Step-by-step explanation:

The question asks how to calculate the infusion rate for administrating potassium chloride via an IV pump. The nurse has a solution that contains 40 mEq of potassium chloride in 100 mL of liquid that needs to be infused over a course of 4 hours. To determine the infusion rate, which is how many milliliters per hour (mL/hr) the IV pump should be set to, the total volume (100 mL) is divided by the total time in hours (4 hr). So, 100 mL ÷ 4 hr = 25 mL/hr. This calculation results in the IV pump being set to 25 mL/hr to ensure the patient receives the prescribed dose of potassium chloride over the 4-hour period.