Add 20 Meq KCL

[sharann, BSN, RN]

I never understood why it seems that just about EVERY surgeon writes for added KCL in maintenence IV's, even in pts with very normal K levels. IS it habit or do surgical fluid losses really affect potassium that significantly? Can anyone give me the physiology of it? Thanks

[mysticalwaters1]

I never understood why it seems that just about EVERY surgeon writes for added KCL in maintenence IV's, even in pts with very normal K levels. IS it habit or do surgical fluid losses really affect potassium that significantly? Can anyone give me the physiology of it? Thanks

Well if they are going for surgery are they not usually npo anyway so maybe contemplating some electrolyte imbalance and prevent problems later? I don't know specifically about surgery but for ex I know lots of mds will add kcl to ivf for anyone in /c dehydration, npo status even if the K is normal and the dehydrated person is eating.

I have noticed lately Kcl piggybacks the mds are ordering them to run over 5 hours. NEVER had specific orders like that and several different mds ordered it this way. I think they might do it that way b/c it burns. You can't win sometimes. Supposedly it's better to take kcl replacement orally. So I'll get the pt that the IV is too much and get it changed and if it's ordered po for another pt they won't take the oral stuff and have to call and change it to iv!

I go nuts sometimes with this job! Or who am i kidding i'm allways freaking out with nursing. I need to chill or i'm really going to have a nervous breakdown.

[safewaygreenbox]

Just like nurses have certain procedures Drs do too and increasingly so it seems. We have just had a brand new batch of Drs :stone - why they change tham all at the same time on the same ward I will never understand