Question

The inpatient hospital nurse is caring for a client with hypokalemia. The health care provider prescribed a potassium intravenous (IV) infusion of 40 mEq potassium chloride in 250 mL normal saline to be infused over 4 hours. The nurse receives the infusion from the pharmacy. Which action should the nurse take next?

A
Notify the health care provider of the inappropriate dose of the prescribed IV potassium
B
Ask another nurse to verify the prescription, IV solution and serum potassium level Correct Answer (Blank)
C
Confirm patency of the peripheral venous access device and start the infusion
D
Ask another nurse to witness the addition of the prescribed potassium to the IV solution

Answer 1

The correct action for the nurse is to confirm the patency of the IV access, and then verify the prescription and serum potassium level with another nurse before starting the prescribed potassium chloride IV infusion.

Step-by-step explanation:

When caring for a patient with hypokalemia and a potassium IV infusion is prescribed, the nurse's first action should be to confirm the patency of the peripheral venous access device, ensuring it is functional for the infusion. However, it's also important, as part of safe practice, to verify the prescription and double-check the medication with another nurse. This includes checking the IV solution, the dosage, and the serum potassium level. In a clinical setting, potassium chloride (KCl) is often administered intravenously to patients who suffer from hypokalemia. This therapy is critical as potassium helps maintain normal concentration gradients between the intracellular fluid (ICF) and extracellular fluid (ECF), as well as being a key component in the renal exchange processes under the influence of aldosterone.

In the scenario of a prescription for 40 mEq potassium chloride in 250 mL normal saline over 4 hours, there are no immediate indications that the dose is inappropriate. Therefore, the action of notifying the health care provider of an inappropriate dose would not be the correct next step if the dosage is as per the renal threshold and if the serum potassium levels are kept in mind. Instead, ensuring that the IV infusion is set up correctly and verifying with another nurse would be the appropriate course of action to maintain patient safety and ensure proper medication administration.