What should a nurse prioritize for a patient with a potassium level of 2.8?

• A. Administer a potassium supplement
• B. Put on telemetry
• C. Increase fluid intake
• D. Perform neurological assessments

Answer: (B)

For a patient with a potassium level of 2.8, which is significantly low and falls into a dangerously hypokalemic range, placing the patient on telemetry is critical. Potassium plays a vital role in maintaining normal electrical activity in the heart. Severe hypokalemia can lead to serious cardiac arrhythmias, which may be life-threatening. Telemetry allows for continuous monitoring of the heart's electrical activity, enabling the early detection of any abnormal rhythms that may arise due to the low potassium levels. This vigilant monitoring is essential to prevent complications and ensure timely intervention if any cardiac issues occur.

While administering a potassium supplement is also necessary to correct the low potassium levels, it is more important to monitor the patient’s cardiac status closely during this process. Increased fluid intake and performing neurological assessments may be relevant in other contexts but are not the immediate priorities when addressing severe hypokalemia due to the critical nature of heart rhythm management.