Chapter 63: Concepts of Care for Patients with Acute Kidney Injury and Chronic Kidney Disease

12. A client is taking furosemide 40 mg/day for management of early chronic kidney disease (CKD). To assess the therapeutic effect of the medication, what action of the nurse is best? a. Obtain daily weights of the client. b. Auscultate heart and breath sounds. c. Palpate the client's abdomen. d. Assess the client's diet history.

ANS: A Furosemide is a loop diuretic that helps reduce fluid overload and hypertension in patients with early stages of CKD. One kilogram of weight equals about 1 L of fluid retained in the client, so daily weights are necessary to monitor the response of the client to the medication. Heart and breath sounds would be assessed if there is fluid retention, as in heart failure.

6. A client has a serum potassium level of 6.5 mEq/L (6.5 mmol/L), a serum creatinine level of 2 mg/dL (176 mcmol/L), and a urine output of 350 mL/day. What is the best action by the nurse a. Place the client on a cardiac monitor immediately. b. Teach the client to limit high-potassium foods. c. Continue to monitor the client's intake and output. d. Ask to have the laboratory redraw the blood specimen

ANS: A The best action by the nurse would be to check the cardiac status with a monitor. High-potassium levels can lead to dysrhythmias. The other choices are logical nursing interventions for acute kidney injury but not the best immediate action.

11. A client with chronic kidney disease (CKD) is refusing to take his medication and has missed two hemodialysis appointments. What is the best initial action for the nurse? a. Discuss what the treatment regimen means to the client. b. Refer the client to a mental health nurse practitioner. c. Reschedule the appointments to another date and time. d. Discuss the option of peritoneal dialysis. ANS: A

ANS: A The initial action for the nurse is to assess anxiety, coping styles, and the client's acceptance of the required treatment for CKD. The client may be in denial of the diagnosis. While rescheduling hemodialysis appointments may help, and referral to a mental health practitioner and the possibility of peritoneal dialysis are all viable options, assessment of the client's acceptance of the treatment would come first

3. A client comes into the emergency department with a serum creatinine of 2.2 mg/dL (1944 mcmol/L) and a blood urea nitrogen (BUN) of 24 mL/dL (8.57 mmol/L). What question would the nurse ask first when taking this client's history? a. "Have you been taking any aspirin, ibuprofen, or naproxen recently?" b. "Do you have anyone in your family with renal failure?" c. "Have you had a diet that is low in protein recently?" d. "Has a relative had a kidney transplant lately?"

ANS: A There are some medications that are nephrotoxic, such as the nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs ibuprofen, aspirin, and naproxen. This would be a good question to initially ask the patient since both the serum creatinine and BUN are elevated, indicating some renal problems. A diet high in protein could be a factor in an increased BUN.

1. The nurse is assessing a client with a diagnosis of prerenal acute kidney injury (AKI). Which condition would the nurse expect to find in the patient's recent history? a. Pyelonephritis b. Dehydration c. Bladder cancer d. Kidney stones

ANS: B b. Dehydration Prerenal causes of AKI are related to a decrease in perfusion, such as in clients who have prolonged dehydration. Pyelonephritis is an intrinsic or intrarenal cause of AKI related to kidney damage. Bladder cancer and kidney stones are postrenal causes of AKI related to urine flow obstruction

9. The nurse is caring for four clients with chronic kidney disease (CKD). Which client would the nurse assess first upon initial rounding? a. Client with a blood pressure of 158/90 mm Hg b. Client with Kussmaul respirations c. Client with skin itching from head to toe d. Client with halitosis and stomatitis

ANS: B Kussmaul respirations indicate that the client has metabolic acidosis which is a complication of CKD. The client is increasing the rate and depth of breathing to excrete carbon dioxide through the lungs to lower serum pH. Hypertension is common in most patients with CKD, and skin itching increases with calcium-phosphate imbalances and elevations of nitrogenous wastes, another common finding in CKD. Uremia from CKD causes ammonia to be formed, resulting in the common findings of halitosis and stomatitis.

7. A client with diabetes mellitus type 2 has been well controlled with metformin. The client is scheduled for magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scan with contrast. What priority would the nurse take at this time? a. Teach the client about the purpose of the MRI. b. Assess the client's blood urea nitrogen and creatinine. c. Tell the client to withhold metformin for 24 hours before the MRI. d. Ask the client if he or she is taking antibiotics

ANS: C Contrast media can be nephrotoxic (damaging to the kidneys). Metformin can also be nephrotoxic and the client should not be exposed to two agents. Clients who have diabetes are already at risk for renal damage. 9. The nurse is caring for four clients with chronic kidney disease (CKD). Which client would the nurse assess first upon initial rounding?

10. The nurse is teaching assistive personnel (AP) about fluid restriction for a client who has acute kidney injury (AKI). The client's 24-hour urinary output is 120 mL. How much fluid would the client be allowed to have over the next 24 hours? a. 380 mL b. 500 mL c. 620 mL d. 750 mL

ANS: C The general principle for fluid restriction for clients is that they may have a daily fluid intake of 500 mL plus the amount of their urinary output. In this case, 120 mL urinary output plus 500 mL equals 620 mL fluid allowance.

4. A client is admitted with acute kidney injury (AKI) and a urine output of 2000 mL/day. What is the major concern of the nurse regarding this patient's care? a. Edema and pain b. Cardiac and respiratory status c. Electrolyte and fluid imbalance d. Mental health status d. Mental health status

ANS: C This client may have an inflammatory cause of AKI with proteins entering the glomerulus and holding the fluid in the filtrate, causing polyuria. Electrolyte loss and fluid balance are essential. Edema and pain are not usually a problem with fluid loss. There could be changes in the client's cardiac, respiratory, and mental health status if the electrolyte imbalance is not treated.

5. A client with acute kidney injury (AKI) has a blood pressure of 76/55 mm Hg. The primary health care provider prescribed 1000 mL of normal saline to be infused over 1 hour to maintain perfusion. The client starts to develop shortness of breath. What is the nurse's priority action? a. Calculate the mean arterial pressure (MAP). b. Ask for insertion of a pulmonary artery catheter. c. Take the client's pulse. d. Decrease the rate of the IV infusion

ANS: D The nurse would assess that the client could be developing fluid overload and respiratory distress and slow down the normal saline infusion. The calculation of the MAP also reflects perfusion. The insertion of a pulmonary artery catheter would evaluate the client's hemodynamic status, but this would not be the initial or priority action by the nurse. Vital signs are also important after adjusting the intravenous infusion.