The nurse is caring for a patient who is receiving oral potassium chloride supplements. The nurse notes that the patient has a heart rate of 120 beats per minute and has had a urine output of 200 mL in the past 12 hours. The patient reports abdominal cramping. Which action will the nurse take?

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

The patient is exhibiting symptoms of hyperkalemia, which can be caused by excessive potassium intake. The nurse should contact the provider to request an order for serum electrolytes to determine the patient's potassium level and potentially adjust the dose as necessary. Encouraging the patient to consume less fluids could further exacerbate their symptoms, reporting hyperchloremia is not relevant to the situation, and increasing the potassium dose would worsen the hyperkalemia.

The Nurse Is Caring for a Patient Who Is Receiving