Question

a nurse is preparing to administer potassium chloride 3 meq/kg/day po divided in equal doses every 6 hr to a preschooler who weighs 42 lb. available is potassium chloride oral solution 20 meq/15 ml. how many ml should the nurse administer per dose? (round the answer to the nearest whole number. use a leading zero if it applies. do not use a trailing zero.)

Explanation:

Step1: Convert weight to kg

Weight in kg = $42 \, \text{lb} \times \frac{1 \, \text{kg}}{2.2 \, \text{lb}} \approx 19.09 \, \text{kg}$

Step2: Calculate daily mEq

Daily mEq = $3 \, \text{mEq/kg/day} \times 19.09 \, \text{kg} \approx 57.27 \, \text{mEq}$

Step3: Find doses per day

Doses = $\frac{24 \, \text{hr}}{6 \, \text{hr/dose}} = 4$ doses

Step4: Calculate per dose mEq

Per dose mEq = $\frac{57.27 \, \text{mEq}}{4} \approx 14.32 \, \text{mEq}$

Step5: Find mL per dose

mL per dose = $14.32 \, \text{mEq} \times \frac{15 \, \text{mL}}{20 \, \text{mEq}} \approx 10.74 \, \text{mL}$

Step6: Round to whole number

Rounded mL = $11$

Answer:

11