Challenges to raising potassium level

If you're having difficulty raising a patient's potassium level, reevaluate his fluid and electrolyte status and ask yourself the following questions:

• Is the patient still experiencing diuresis or suffering losses from the GI tract or the skin? If so, he's losing fluid and potassium.

• Is the patient's magnesium level normal or does he need supplementation? Keep in mind that low magnesium levels make it difficult for the kidneys to conserve potassium.

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Source: Expert LPN Guides: Fluids & Electrolytes (2007), p. 91.