K-rider administration

thank you for your help!!!

BUt, doesn't it depend (like always)? We run 10 or 20 meq (peripheral vs central, of course) in 100ml bags, not 250. And, we only get 10 or 20 meq at a time. So, to get 40meq in a peripheral, it would be 4 100mL bags with 10meq in each - each bag run in over at least one hour.

The MAX rate is 10mEq/hr through a peripheral line, 20mEq/hr through a central line. Every facility is different with how their medications are supplied. Our bags come in 20mEq/100cc or 40mEq/100cc. So you figure the 20mEq bag will run in 1-2 hours (central vs. peripheral, respectively) and the 40mEq bag will run in 2-4 hours (central vs. peripheral, respectively).

That is assuming the pt can tolerate the rate. I would say 50% of pts getting a K infusion in a peripheral IV can't tolerate the max rate and need to have it slowed to minimize the irritation.

This is usually something that your facility will have made a policy to address.

Agree with Stcroix, 10 meq/hr is the max we would infuse by PIV but many patients cannot tolerate that r/t the burning of the infusion and require it to be slowed. Some use ice at the site to offset the burning sensation. In some situations, it is acceptable for the provider to order lido added to the bag to offset the burning sensation. I think the amount of NS it is diluted in is probably fluctuant depending on the facility protocol.

Cardiac-Rn