You're caring for Betty Dawson, 73, who's newly admitted with dehydration and malnutrition. She's 5 feet 6 inches tall and weighs 121 pounds (55 kg). Her admission basic metabolic panel is normal except for a slight increase in serum sodium (149 mEq/L; normal range, 136 to 145 mEq/L) and a decrease in potassium (3.3 mEq/L; normal range, 3.5 to 5.2 mEq/L). Her baseline magnesium level is 2.2 mg/dL (normal range, 1.8 to 2.6 mg/dL), and her baseline phosphorus level is 3 mg/dL (normal range, 2.5 to 4.5 mg/dL). She's initially treated with dextrose 5% in 0.45% sodium chloride solution for hydration and I.V. potassium to correct her hypokalemia. Ms. Dawson is diagnosed with inflammatory bowel disease and malnutrition.
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