Question

a nurse is preparing to administer K-Cl (Kaon-CL) 5 mEq/kg/day PO divided in equal doses every 6 hr to a child who weighs 65 lb. available is K-Cl liquid 40 mEq/15 ml. How many ml should the nurse administer per dose? (whole number)

Answer 1

To determine the dosage for the child, first convert the weight to kilograms, calculate the total daily mEq, divide by the number of doses, and then calculate the volume based on the K-Cl solution concentration. The nurse should administer 14 mL of K-Cl liquid per dose.

Step-by-step explanation:

The question involves calculating medication dosage based on the weight of a pediatric patient. The student is asking how many milliliters of K-Cl liquid should be administered per dose, when given every 6 hours, to a child that weighs 65 pounds. The provided K-Cl (potassium chloride) has a concentration of 40 mEq in 15 mL.

First, convert the child's weight from pounds to kilograms (1 kg = 2.2 lbs), then calculate the total daily dose in mEq. After that, divide the daily dose by the number of doses per day to find the dose per administration. Finally, use the concentration of the K-Cl solution to determine the volume in milliliters for each dose.

Weight in kg: 65 lb ÷ 2.2 = 29.55 kg (rounded to a whole number of 30 kg for this calculation).Total daily dose in mEq: 5 mEq/kg/day × 30 kg = 150 mEq/day.Dose per administration: 150 mEq/day ÷ 4 doses/day = 37.5 mEq/dose.

Volume per dose: The ratio of K-Cl solution is 40 mEq in 15 mL. To find the volume for 37.5 mEq, set up a proportion: (40 mEq/15 mL) = (37.5 mEq/x mL), x = (37.5 mEq × 15 mL) / 40 mEq = 14.0625 mL, which rounds to the nearest whole number: 14 mL. Therefore, the nurse should administer 14 mL per dose of K-Cl liquid.