The nurse is to administer 40 mEq of IV KCl to the patient with severe hypokalemia.Why did the pharmacy send up four 100 mL IV bags with 10 mEq of KCl in each bag?

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

Rapid infusion of KCl can cause life-threatening cardiac dysrhythmias.The pharmacy sent up four separate IV bags containing 10 mEq KCl in each to prevent accidentally infusing the 40 mEq of KCL too quickly.Four smaller bags are not necessarily less expensive than one large bag but the cost is less important than patient safety.The small amount of extra fluid is negligible.The infusion may be stopped if the physician lowers the ordered dose of KCl.

The Nurse Is to Administer 40 MEq of IV KCl