How to Calculate for Potassium Blood Levels
Things You'll Need
- Germ-killing antiseptic
- Needle or lancet
- Elastic band
- Airtight vial/tube or pipette/slide
- Bandage
Instructions
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Potassium Level Testing
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1
Apply germ-killing antiseptic to the skin where the needle or lancet will be inserted. The U.S. National Library of Medicine explains that this area is usually over a vein on the inside of the elbow or the back of the hand.
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2
Wrap the upper arm with an elastic band to make the vein swell with blood. Make sure the needle is attached to an airtight vial.
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3
Insert the needle into the vein on the inside of the elbow or the back of the hand. If using a lancet, prick a finger at the tip to draw blood.
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4
Collect blood from the needle into an attached airtight vial/tube. Blood from the pipette puncture is placed directly onto a slide.
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5
According to the U.S. National Library of Medicine, normal potassium in blood ranges from 3.7 to 5.2 mEq/L with mEq/L = milliequivalent per liter.
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