MEDizzy - A nurse is caring for a client who has 0.9% NaCl infusing

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Safety and Infection Control

A nurse is caring for a client who has 0.9% NaCl infusing intravenously (IV). An order had been written the previous day to change the IV solution to 0.9% NaCl with 10 mEq KCL. Which action should the nurse initiate first?

ExplanationBecause the order was written the previous day and not implemented, the nurse should first check the client’s serum potassium level and then notify the physician. The nurse should determine if there are order changes before replacing the solution. The physician may change the amount of KCL in the IV solution based on the client’s serum potassium level and other client data. An incident report should be completed by the nurse after caring for the client.