Ordered: Potassium chloride (K-Dur) 60 mEq
Available: Potassium chloride (K-Dur) 20 mEq/15 mL
Administer: _____mL
The Correct answer and Explanation is:
To determine how many milliliters (mL) of potassium chloride (K-Dur) to administer, you can use the following formula:Volume to administer (mL)=(Dose ordered (mEq)Concentration available (mEq/mL))×Volume of the available concentration (mL)\text{Volume to administer (mL)} = \left(\frac{\text{Dose ordered (mEq)}}{\text{Concentration available (mEq/mL)}}\right) \times \text{Volume of the available concentration (mL)}Volume to administer (mL)=(Concentration available (mEq/mL)Dose ordered (mEq))×Volume of the available concentration (mL)
Given:
- Dose ordered: 60 mEq
- Concentration available: 20 mEq per 15 mL
Let’s break it down:
- Calculate the amount of potassium chloride in one mL of the solution:
The available concentration is 20 mEq in 15 mL, so the concentration per mL is:20 mEq15 mL=1.33 mEq/mL\frac{20 \text{ mEq}}{15 \text{ mL}} = 1.33 \text{ mEq/mL}15 mL20 mEq=1.33 mEq/mL - Determine the total volume needed for the ordered dose:
Now, use the ratio to calculate the volume needed to achieve the ordered dose:Volume to administer (mL)=(60 mEq20 mEq)×15 mL=3×15 mL=45 mL\text{Volume to administer (mL)} = \left(\frac{60 \text{ mEq}}{20 \text{ mEq}}\right) \times 15 \text{ mL} = 3 \times 15 \text{ mL} = 45 \text{ mL}Volume to administer (mL)=(20 mEq60 mEq)×15 mL=3×15 mL=45 mL
Thus, you should administer 45 mL of the potassium chloride solution.
Explanation:
Potassium chloride is commonly prescribed to correct or prevent hypokalemia (low potassium levels in the blood). The dosage of potassium is typically ordered in milliequivalents (mEq), which is a measure of the chemical activity of an electrolyte, like potassium, in the body.
The process of converting the ordered dose into the correct volume of solution to administer involves understanding the concentration of the drug available. In this scenario, the available solution contains 20 mEq of potassium chloride in every 15 mL of solution.
By calculating the amount of potassium chloride per mL of the solution (which is approximately 1.33 mEq/mL), you can then determine how much of this solution you need to administer to meet the ordered dose of 60 mEq. Since each mL of the solution provides 1.33 mEq of potassium chloride, administering 45 mL would provide the full 60 mEq dose required.
It’s crucial to ensure the correct dosage is given to avoid hyperkalemia (high potassium levels), which can lead to serious complications such as cardiac arrhythmias. Nurses must be precise when calculating medication dosages to ensure patient safety.