A provider prescribes an adult patient to receive 80 mEq of potassium over 3 hours. Which of the following will be the flow rate in mL/hr if 80 mEq/500 mL solution was dispensed?

To determine the flow rate in mL/hr for administering 80 mEq of potassium over 3 hours using a solution of 80 mEq in 500 mL, we first need to establish the total volume of solution that will be infused during that time.

Since 80 mEq is contained within 500 mL of the solution, the goal is to administer all 500 mL over the specified time of 3 hours. The first step is to calculate the flow rate based on the total volume and the time of administration.

The flow rate can be calculated using the formula:

[ \text{Flow Rate (mL/hr)} = \frac{\text{Total Volume (mL)}}{\text{Time (hr)}} ]

Plugging in the numbers:

[ \text{Flow Rate} = \frac{500 , \text{mL}}{3 , \text{hr}} ]

[ \text{Flow Rate} = 166.67 , \text{mL/hr} ]

When rounded to the nearest whole number, this results in 167 mL/hr. Therefore, the correct flow rate for administering the potassium solution is indeed 167 mL/hr. This calculation confirms that