 When the patient's potassium level is really low, we might have to give them potassium replacement in the IV and there are some important tidbits to remember. Remember that potassium is in charge of muscle contraction and we always worry about this rhythm is with potassium imbalances. So when the patient's potassium level is low and we need to give them IV potassium, we have to make sure that we always have the patient on a cardiac monitor to make sure that they don't have any dysrhythmia as well. We give it to them. Potassium also can never be given more or faster than a 10 MEQs, melee equivalents per hour. So make sure that you very closely study the bag and see what it contains. Many times it's 10 MEQs per 50 mLs. Number two, make sure that you put it on a separate channel and that you do not piggyback it into a maintenance IV because if the channel for the maintenance IV were to malfunction, then the potassium could infuse into the patient too fast and you could cause dysrhythmias. Number three, make sure that you have a good IV line available because potassium can cause extravasation and can cause necrosis to the surrounding tissues and also the potassium can be burning to the veins. So make sure that you have an IV that might be up higher. So in the AC or a good forearm vein with at least a 20 gauge and then check your pharmacist protocol to see what you might be able to dilute it with. Sometimes it's approved to dilute it with lidocaine, which kind of numbs the medication as it goes into the vein to kind of take off the edge. Or sometimes you can hook it into a maintenance IV and that is always below the channel, not above, so the channel is separately regulated and so when the potassium and the maintenance IVs meet at the Y right before the IV goes into the patient, as the potassium flows in, it kind of gets diluted by the maintenance IV. And make sure that that's also compatible with the potassium to make sure that there's no discrepancy there that could cause some problems. And then keep checking the IV side closely to make sure that it's not causing any problem like extravasation. For more information on potassium imbalances, check my full video on YouTube.