Question about K Rider

[Nursey103, ADN, RN]

Question! I'm working on my med sheets to take care of my patient tomorrow. Here is the order:

KCl (K rider) 40 mEq IV for K+

There is no rate mentioned on the MAR but in my drug book it does say not to exceed 10 mEq/hour so here is my equation....does it look ok or am I messed up?! We have to write down our calculation on our med sheet. Should the rate always be given??

40 mEq 1 hour 250 mL 10000

1 hour 10 mEq 1 hour = 10 = 1000 mL/hr

Thank you!!!! :typing

[Nursey103, ADN, RN]

This REALLY makes no sense to me.....1000 ml/hour is way too fast...

[Nursey103, ADN, RN]

I think I had it backwards....

10 meq 1 hr 250ml 2500

1 hr 40 meq 1 hr = 40 = 62.5ml/hr ?!?

[ghillbert, MSN, NP]

If you have 40mEq, and you want to give 10/hr, then it should be given over 4 hours. If the total volume is 250ml, then /4 and you get 62.5ml/hr.

This would not be a good order though - the rate should be given, especially with potassium.

[Nursey103, ADN, RN]

Thank you...I'm sure the rate will be on the MAR or IVPB tomorrow!

Thanks again!!!!!!

[Daytonite, BSN, RN]

i was not home yesterday so i am just seeing this now. iv kcl is letal if given faster than 10 meq/hour and will put the patient in heart block and cardiac arrest.

should the rate always be given??

yes. remember at the least, the 5 r's. if one element of a dose is missing from an order, the order is incomplete and doctor should be called.

kcl (k rider) 40 meq iv for k+

this order looks incomplete. there may be standing orders that direct that staff on how fast to infused kcl specifically. these would be outlined in the

policy and procedure manual

and the pharmacy staff would be aware of them. if, for example, it was to infuse k-riders at 10 meq/hour then this would have been

250 ml/4 = 63 ml/hour

but only of the patient's potassium level that day had been 3.4 or below.