Potassium question...

Robublind · Oct 16, 2011

3.4 K critical.... really. Sounds like this doc needs a couple of 2am phone calls for some other "critical labs", that usually fixes this type of doctor problem.

beast master RN · Oct 16, 2011

my grand pa had a 8.3 k+ level, now that's critical!

Noimanurse · Oct 17, 2011

Apparently that doc likes to get alot of phone calls early in the day.

joe17 · Oct 17, 2011

I had a patient the other day who had a potassium level of 3.4 (our lower K+ level is 3.6) and I did not call the doctor right away because I was getting a patient ready to go to the cath lab in 10 mins. The doctor came in at about 730 in the morning and said he couldn't believe no one called about this. (labs were drawn at 600). He also told the patient she could not participate in physical therapy until her potassium was stable and that it was critically low. The patient came in for chest pain but did not have a cardiac history. Did I have my priorities wrong and what exactly does low or high potassium cause, is it just arrhythmias??

K+ OF 3.4 is not critically low,,but low enough that if i was in your position ill call the doc asap i got the result,,patient to go to cath lab , you can asked any of your collegue to send it for you

..your patient with C.C OF chest pain with low k+,,maybe developing something bad. i can can understand the DOC.,,but maybe he is over a panic type of DOC.some DOC will just let it go ESP blood was taken at 0600 hrs...anyhow hope your patient is ok.

melmarie23, MSN, RN · Oct 17, 2011

if you work in a facility which the providers carry pagers, I would have shot them a quick page, but a phone call? Yeah, I think I'd too have waited until I sent my other pt to the cath lab. 3.4 is low, but not critical (at least not where I work).

The last critical potassium I got a call from the lab about was 2.5. Now that warranted an immediate call to the provider IMO.

Deb123j · Oct 17, 2011

my grand pa had a 8.3 k+ level, now that's critical!

:eek: :eek: :eek: :eek: :eek: :eek: :eek: :eek:. :eek: :eek: :eek: !!!

Esme12, ASN, BSN, RN · Oct 17, 2011

I agree the doc was a bit.....extreme in his response to the K+, but I was also concerned about the OP statement.."what exactly does low or high potassium cause, is it just arrhythmias??". Which is something all nurses need to be aware of especially on a cardiac unit.

2bTraumaRN2008 · Oct 17, 2011

Ha, our lab won't even notify us if we have a potassium level of 3.4, and the doc's would just supplement with 40 meq of oral potassium and recheck the next day. And, I wouldn't even call the dr for a K of 3.4. Personally, I think that dr was way over the line on that one.

talaxandra · Oct 17, 2011

Too low for physcial therapy? What's he been smoking?

I think your priorities were spot on - far from an emergency, though a little supplemental K+ and a recheck are certainly in order.

And good heavens, beast_master - that's pretty impressive! I've seen a 9 but that was on a young guy whose end-stage renal failure was found on routine blood work for an unrelated issue. Asymptomatic to "get to hospital now - I've called the ambulance service and they'll be there shortly" in the blink of an eye!

Altra, BSN, RN · Oct 17, 2011

my grand pa had a 8.3 k+ level, now that's critical!

Definitely!

We see K+ values in this range semi-regularly from the "I didn't get to dialysis" folks.

mama_d, BSN, RN · Oct 17, 2011

Unless there was some other factor at play (frequent PVCs, due for Lasix 8" IVP, having muscle cramps) there's no way I'd have called a doc over that. Unless I wanted a doc to be p!ssed at me for a week.

I concur that a stat banana should have been ordered. KU

nightengalegoddess · Oct 17, 2011

The doc was high on potassium and possibly testosterone. He may need to see his PCP right away. It is so fun getting to know the personalities of docs and wielding to their entitled needs.

: )............