Chapter 16: Caring for Clients with Fluid, Electrolyte, and Acid-Base Imbalances Prep - U
The nurse is caring for a client undergoing alcohol withdrawal. Which serum laboratory value should the nurse monitor most closely?
Magnesium
A client has the following arterial blood gas (ABG) values: pH, 7.12; partial pressure of arterial carbon dioxide (PaCO2), 40 mm Hg; and bicarbonate (HCO3-), 15 mEq/L. These ABG values suggest which disorder?
Metabolic acidosis
A client has been diagnosed with an intestinal obstruction and has a nasogastric tube set to low continuous suction. Which acid-base disturbance is this client at risk for developing?
Metabolic alkalosis
The nurse is caring for a client with an acid-base imbalance. For which imbalance will the nurse calculate the anion gap?
Metabolic acidosis
The nurse is instructing a client with recurrent hyperkalemia about following a potassium-restricted diet. Which statement by the client indicates the need for additional instruction?
"I will not salt my food; instead I'll use salt substitute."
A client is to receive hypotonic IV solution in order to provide free water replacement. Which solution does the nurse anticipate administering?
0.45% NaCl
The physician has prescribed a hypotonic IV solution for a patient. Which IV solution should the nurse administer?
0.45% sodium chloride
Which is considered an isotonic solution?
0.9% normal saline
A patient's serum sodium concentration is within the normal range. What should the nurse estimate the serum osmolality to be?
275-300 mOsm/kg
A client experiencing a severe anxiety attack and hyperventilating presents to the emergency department. The nurse would expect the client's pH value to be
7.50
Hypomagnesemia is a common yet often overlooked imbalance in acutely and critically ill patients. Which of the following patients is most likely at the highest risk of experiencing low serum magnesium levels?
A female patient who has liver cirrhosis and who is experiencing withdrawal from heavy alcohol use
A nurse correctly identifies a urine specimen with a pH of 4.3 as being which type of solution?
Acidic
The nurse notes that a patient's urine osmolality is 980 mOsm/kg. What should the nurse assess as a possible cause of this finding?
Acidosis
Which of the following is the most common cause of symptomatic hypomagnesemia in the United States?
Alcoholism
The nurse has been assigned to care for various clients. Which client is at the highest risk for a fluid and electrolyte imbalance?
An 82-year-old client who receives all nutrition via tube feedings and whose medications include carvedilol and torsemide.
The nurse is caring for a patient with a metabolic acidosis (pH 7.25). Which of the following values is useful to the nurse in determining whether the cause of the acidosis is due to acid gain or to bicarbonate loss?
Anion gap
A client being treated for a chronic illness has a serum potassium level of 2.9 mEq/L (2.9 mmol/L). Which assessment findings will the nurse expect to assess in the client? Select all that apply.
Anorexia Paresthesias Muscle weakness Leg cramps
A client with hypokalemia is to receive intravenous (IV) potassium replacement. Which action should the nurse take when administering potassium intravenously? Select all that apply.
Assess blood urea nitrogen (BUN) and serum creatinine prior to potassium administration. Follow the facility policy for infusion of potassium. Report a reduced urinary output to the health care provider.
A 54-year-old male patient is admitted to the hospital with a case of severe dehydration. The nurse reviews the patient's laboratory results. Which of the following results are consistent with the diagnosis? Select all that apply.
Blood urea nitrogen (BUN) of 23 mg/dL Serum osmolality of 310 mOsm/kg Serum sodium of 148 mEq/L Urine specific gravity of 1.03
Which electrolyte is a major anion in body fluid?
Chloride
The nurse is caring for a client with a serum sodium concentration of 113 mEq/L (113 mmol/L). The nurse should monitor the client for the development of which condition?
Confusion
The nurse is providing care for a client with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. When describing the process of respiration, the nurse explains to a newly licensed nurse how oxygen and carbon dioxide are exchanged between the pulmonary capillaries and the alveoli. The nurse is describing which process?
Diffusion
The nurse is caring for a client admitted with a diagnosis of acute kidney injury. When reviewing the client's most recent laboratory reports, the nurse notes that the client's magnesium levels are high. The nurse should prioritize assessment for what health problem?
Diminished deep tendon reflexes
The nurse is caring for a client with a serum potassium concentration of 6.0 mEq/L (6.0 mmol/L) and a fluid volume excess. The client is ordered to receive oral sodium polystyrene sulfonate and furosemide. What other order should the nurse anticipate giving?
Discontinue the intravenous lactated Ringer solution.
A nurse is caring for an adult client with numerous draining wounds from gunshots. The client's pulse rate has increased from 100 to 130 beats per minute over the last hour. The nurse should further assess the client for which of the following?
Extracellular fluid volume deficit
The nurse notes that a client has lost 5 lbs. (2.27 kg) of body weight over 5 days. Which additional assessment findings indicate to the nurse that the client is experiencing hypovolemia? Select all that apply.
Flat neck veins Muscle cramps Concentrated urine
The nurse is caring for a client who has a diagnosis of syndrome of inappropriate antidiuretic hormone secretion (SIADH). The plan of care includes assessment of specific gravity every 4 hours. The results of this test will allow the nurse to assess what aspect of the client's health?
Fluid volume status
Oral intake is controlled by the thirst center, located in which of the following cerebral areas?
Hypothalamus
The nurse is working on a burn unit and an acutely ill client is exhibiting signs and symptoms of third spacing. Based on this change in status, the nurse should expect the client to exhibit signs and symptoms of which imbalance?
Hypovolemia
You are working on a burn unit. One of your patients is exhibiting signs and symptoms of third spacing, which occurs when fluid moves out of the intravascular space but not into the intracellular space. Based upon this fluid shift, what would the nurse expect the patient to demonstrate?
Hypovolemia
The nurse is assessing residents at a summer picnic at the nursing facility. The nurse expresses concern due to the high heat and humidity of the day. Although the facility is offering the residents plenty of fluids for fluid maintenance, the nurse is most concerned about which?
Insensible fluid loss
Which intervention is most appropriate for a client with an arterial blood gas (ABG) of pH 7.5, a partial pressure of arterial carbon dioxide (PaCO2) of 26 mm Hg, oxygen (O2) saturation of 96%, bicarbonate (HCO3-) of 24 mEq/L, and a PaO2 of 94 mm Hg?
Instruct the client to breathe into a paper bag.
When caring for a client who has risk factors for fluid and electrolyte imbalances, which assessment finding is the highest priority for the nurse to follow up?
Irregular heart rate
A nurse in the Medical ICU has orders to infuse a hypertonic solution into a patient with low blood pressure. This solution will increase the number of dissolved particles in the patient's blood, creating pressure for fluids in the tissues to shift into the capillaries and increase the blood volume. What term or terms are associated with this process?
Osmosis and osmolality
A nurse in the neurologic ICU has received a prescription to infuse a hypertonic solution into a client with increased intracranial pressure. This solution will increase the number of dissolved particles in the client's blood, creating pressure for fluids in the tissues to shift into the capillaries and increase the blood volume. This process is best described with which terms?
Osmosis and osmolality
A client is being treated in the ICU 24 hours after having a radical neck dissection completed. The client's serum calcium concentration is 7.6 mg/dL (1.9 mmol/L). Which physical examination finding is consistent with this electrolyte imbalance?
Presence of Trousseau sign
A nurse is caring for a client admitted with a diagnosis of exacerbation of myasthenia gravis. Upon assessment of the client, the nurse notes the client has severely depressed respirations. The nurse would expect to identify which acid-base disturbance?
Respiratory acidosis
The nurse is caring for a client with a secondary diagnosis of hypermagnesemia. What assessment finding would be most consistent with this diagnosis?
Shallow respirations
The nurse is planning care for an older adult client. Which of the following would require the nurse assess for chronic respiratory acidosis?
Thoracic skeletal change
Maintaining fluid balance, especially in older adults, can be a challenge. While hypovolemia is to be avoided, there is also an accompanying danger for blood clots and urinary stones. What condition contributes to the possible development of these life-threatening events?
hemoconcentration
When evaluating arterial blood gases (ABGs), which value is consistent with metabolic alkalosis?
pH 7.48
Which arterial blood gas (ABG) result would the nurse anticipate for a client with a 3-day history of vomiting?
pH: 7.55, PaCO2: 60 mm Hg, HCO3-: 28
A client admitted with acute anxiety has the following arterial blood gas (ABG) values: pH, 7.55; partial pressure of arterial oxygen (PaO2), 90 mm Hg; partial pressure of arterial carbon dioxide (PaCO2), 27 mm Hg; and bicarbonate (HCO3-), 24 mEq/L. Based on these values, the nurse suspects:
respiratory alkalosis
Which of the following electrolytes is the primary determinant of extracellular fluid (ECF) osmolality?
Sodium
A client comes into the emergency department (ED) by ambulance with a hip fracture after slipping and falling while at home. The client is alert and oriented but anxious and reports thirst. The client's pupils are equal and reactive to light and accommodation, and the heart rate is elevated. An indwelling urinary catheter is inserted, and 40 mL of urine is present. What is the nurse's most likely explanation for the client's urinary output?
The man is having a sympathetic reaction, which has stimulated the renin-angiotensin-aldosterone system that results in diminished urine output.
Which set of arterial blood gas (ABG) results requires further investigation?
pH 7.49, PaCO2 30 mm Hg, PaO2 89 mm Hg, and HCO3- 18 mEq/L
The nurse should assess the patient for signs of lethargy, increasing intracranial pressure, and seizures when the serum sodium reaches what level?
115 mEq/L
The nurse is caring for a client diagnosed with bulimia. The client is being treated for a serum potassium concentration of 2.9 mEq/L (2.9 mmol/L). Which statement made by the client indicates the need for further teaching?
"I can use laxatives and enemas but only once a week."
Which is the most common cause of symptomatic hypomagnesemia?
Alcoholism
A client has a respiratory rate of 38 breaths/min. What effect does breathing faster have on arterial pH level?
Increases arterial pH
Which of the following arterial blood gas results would be consistent with metabolic alkalosis?
Serum bicarbonate of 28 mEq/L
The nurse in the medical intensive care unit is caring for a client who is in respiratory acidosis due to inadequate ventilation. Which diagnosis could the client have that could cause inadequate ventilation?
Guillain-Barré syndrome
The weight of a client with congestive heart failure is monitored daily and entered into the medical record. In a 24-hour period, the client's weight increased by 2 lb. How much fluid is this client retaining?
1 L
An average, healthy infant should have what percentage of interstitial body fluid?
25%
A client with excess fluid volume and hyponatremia is in a comatose state. What are the nursing considerations concerning fluid replacement?
Administer small volumes of a hypertonic solution.
Which of the following would be appropriate nursing interventions for a client with hypokalemia? Select all that apply.
Offer a diet with fruit juices and citrus fruits. Monitor intake and output every shift.
The human body is an intricate mechanism which maintains homeostasis through a multitude of chemical reactions. The measurable chemical levels disclose how well the body is (or is not) functioning. Which of these chemical substances release hydrogen into fluid?
Acids
The nurse is providing nutritional instruction to the client diagnosed with hypovolemia. Which would the nurse emphasize as something to avoid?
Beverages with alcohol or caffeine
At what point do baroreceptors signal the brain to release ADH? Select all that apply.
Blood volume decreases by 10%. Systolic BP falls below 90 mm Hg.
The nurse is caring for a client being treated with isotonic IV fluid for hypernatremia. What complication of hypernatremia should the nurse continuously monitor for?
Cerebral edema
The nurse is caring for a client in metabolic alkalosis. The client has an NG tube set to low intermittent suction for a diagnosis of bowel obstruction. What drug would the nurse expect to find on the medication prescriptions?
Cimetidine
A client with a magnesium concentration of 2.6 mEq/L (1.3 mmol/L) is being treated on a medical-surgical unit. Which treatment should the nurse anticipate will be used?
Intravenous furosemide
The nurse is caring for a client admitted to the medical unit 72 hours ago with pyloric stenosis. A nasogastric tube was placed upon admission, and since that time the client has been on low intermittent suction. Upon review of the morning's blood work, the nurse notices that the client's potassium is below reference range. The nurse should assess for signs and symptoms of what imbalance?
Metabolic alkalosis
A patient with abnormal sodium losses is receiving a regular diet. How can the nurse supplement the patient's diet to provide 1,600 mg of sodium daily?
One beef cube and 8 oz of tomato juice
A 43-year-old patient with a history of alcohol abuse has been admitted to an acute medical unit with complications resulting from liver failure. Upon assessment, the patient's abdomen is distended, firm to touch, and nontender. The nurse recognizes that the patient has excess fluid in his peritoneal space (ascites), a problem that results from the disruption of normal movement of water and electrolytes. What process is primarily responsible for maintaining fluid balance along a concentration gradient?
Osmosis
A client with a suspected overdose of an unknown drug is admitted to the emergency department. Arterial blood gas values indicate respiratory acidosis. What should the nurse do first?
Prepare to assist with ventilation.
A patient with a history of poorly controlled type 1 diabetes has begun displaying the characteristic signs and symptoms of diabetic nephropathy. The patient's nurse recognizes that the patient is at risk of disruptions to fluid balance. What role do the kidneys play in the maintenance of normal fluid balance?
Selectively retaining needed substances and excreting waste products
A client with nausea, vomiting, and abdominal cramps and distention is admitted to the health care facility. Which test result is most significant?
Serum potassium level of 3 mEq/L
A client seeks medical attention for an acute onset of severe thirst, polyuria, muscle weakness, nausea, and bone pain. Which health history information will the nurse report to the health care provider?
Takes high doses of vitamin D
The human body is an intricate mechanism that maintains homeostasis through a multitude of chemical reactions. The measurable chemical levels disclose how well the body is (or is not) functioning. Which chemical substances release hydrogen into fluid?
acids
A client was admitted to the hospital unit after 2 days of vomiting and diarrhea. The client's spouse became alarmed when the client demonstrated confusion and elevated temperature, and reported "dry mouth." The nurse suspects the client is experiencing which condition?
dehydration
A client reports muscle cramps in the calves and feeling "tired a lot." The client is taking ethacrynic acid (Edecrin) for hypertension. Based on these symptoms, the client will be evaluated for which electrolyte imbalance?
hypokalemia
Early signs of hypervolemia include
increased breathing effort and weight gain
A client recovering from an acute asthma attack experiences respiratory alkalosis. The nurse measures a respiratory rate of 46 breaths/minute, a heart rate of 110 beats/minute, a blood pressure of 162/90 mm Hg, and a temperature of 98.6° F (37° C). To help correct respiratory alkalosis, the nurse should:
instruct the client to breathe into a paper bag.
A client admitted with acute anxiety has the following arterial blood gas (ABG) values: pH, 7.55; partial pressure of arterial oxygen (PaO2), 90 mm Hg; partial pressure of arterial carbon dioxide (PaCO2), 27 mm Hg; and bicarbonate (HCO3-), 24 mEq/L. Based on these values, the nurse suspects:
respiratory alkalosis.
A client is admitted with dehydration. In client education, the nurse reinforces how much oral fluid an adult needs daily. Balancing fluid intake with fluid output helps to keep the body healthy. What type of fluid loss is an insensible loss?
sweating breathing perspiration
A client hospitalized for treatment of a pulmonary embolism develops respiratory alkalosis. Which clinical findings commonly accompany respiratory alkalosis?
Light-headedness or paresthesia
Which solution is hypotonic?
0.45% NaCl
A client has chronic hyponatremia, which requires weekly laboratory monitoring to prevent the client lapsing into convulsions or a coma. What is the level of serum sodium at which a client can experience these side effects?
114 mEq/L
A client who is semiconscious presents with restlessness and weakness. The nurse assesses a dry, swollen tongue; body temperature of 99.3 °F; and a urine specific gravity of 1.020. What is the most likely serum sodium value for this client?
165 mEq/L
A client reports tingling in the fingers as well as feeling depressed. The nurse assesses positive Trousseau's and Chvostek's signs. Which decreased laboratory results does the nurse observe when the client's laboratory work has returned?
Calcium
A client's most recent laboratory results show a slight decrease in potassium. The health care provider has opted to forgo drug therapy but has suggested increasing the client's dietary intake of potassium. What should the nurse recommend?
Bananas
The physician has prescribed 0.9% sodium chloride IV for a hospitalized client in metabolic alkalosis. Which nursing actions are required to manage this client? Select all that apply.
Compare ABG findings with previous results. Maintain intake and output records. Document presenting signs and symptoms.
Which of the following is a clinical manifestation of fluid volume excess (FVE)? Select all that apply.
Distended neck veins Crackles in the lung fields Shortness of breath
The nurse is caring for a client who is to receive IV daunorubicin, a chemotherapeutic agent. The nurse starts the infusion and checks the insertion site as per protocol. During the most recent check, the nurse observes that the IV has infiltrated so the nurse stops the infusion. What is the nurse's priority concern with this infiltration?
Extravasation of the medication
Before seeing a newly assigned client with respiratory alkalosis, a nurse quickly reviews the client's medical history. Which condition is a predisposing factor for respiratory alkalosis?
Extreme anxiety
Which nerve is implicated in the Chvostek's sign?
Facial
A patient with a diagnosis of colon cancer has undergone a bowel resection with the creation of an ileostomy. The patient's ileostomy output has been unexpectedly high in the 2 days since surgery, and the patient's most recent blood work indicates a K+ level of 2.7 mEq/L. This potassium level should prompt the nurse to assess for which of the following physical manifestations?
Fatigue, cramps, and weakness
When planning the care of a client with a fluid imbalance, the nurse understands that in the human body, water and electrolytes move from the arterial capillary bed to the interstitial fluid. What causes this to occur?
Hydrostatic pressure resulting from the pumping action of the heart
A nurse is caring for a client with metastatic breast cancer who is extremely lethargic and very slow to respond to stimuli. The laboratory report indicates a serum calcium level of 12.0 mg/dl, a serum potassium level of 3.9 mEq/L, a serum chloride level of 101 mEq/L, and a serum sodium level of 140 mEq/L. Based on this information, the nurse determines that the client's symptoms are most likely associated with which electrolyte imbalance?
Hypercalcemia
The surgical nurse is caring for a client who is postoperative day 1 following a thyroidectomy. The client reports tingling in the lips and fingers. The client also reports an intermittent spasm in the wrist and hand and exhibits increased muscle tone. Which electrolyte imbalance should the nurse first suspect?
Hypocalcemia
A patient is being treated with loop diuretics; gastric suctioning has been initiated. The nurse understands the patient is at risk for developing which of the following electrolyte imbalances?
Hypokalemia
An elderly client takes 40 mg of furosemide twice a day. Which electrolyte imbalance is the most serious adverse effect of diuretic use?
Hypokalemia
Potassium can be administered by which of the following forms? Select all that apply.
IV Tablet Elixir
The nurse is evaluating a newly admitted client's laboratory results, which include several values that are outside of reference ranges. Which of the following alterations would cause the release of antidiuretic hormone (ADH)?
Increased serum sodium
The nurse is performing an admission assessment on a 79-year-old client newly admitted for end-stage liver disease. What principle should guide the nurse's assessment of the client's skin turgor?
Inelastic skin turgor is a normal part of aging
While assessing a client's peripheral IV site, the nurse observes edema and coolness around the insertion site. How should the nurse document this observation?
Infiltration
With which condition should the nurse expect that a decrease in serum osmolality will occur?
Kidney failure
The nurse is caring for a client with severe diarrhea. The nurse recognizes that the client is at risk for developing which acid-base imbalance?
Metabolic acidosis
The nurse is caring for a patient with diabetes type I who is having severe vomiting and diarrhea. What condition that exhibits blood values with a low pH and a low plasma bicarbonate concentration should the nurse assess for?
Metabolic acidosis
A client in the emergency department reports that he has been vomiting excessively for the past 2 days. His arterial blood gas analysis shows a pH of 7.50, partial pressure of arterial carbon dioxide (PaCO2) of 43 mm Hg, partial pressure of arterial oxygen (PaO2) of 75 mm Hg, and bicarbonate (HCO3-) of 42 mEq/L. Based on these findings, the nurse documents that the client is experiencing which type of acid-base imbalance?
Metabolic alkalosis
You are caring for a 65-year-old male patient admitted to your unit 72 hours ago with pyloric stenosis. A nasogastric tube was placed upon admission and has been on low intermittent suction ever since. You notice that the patient's potassium is very low. What would you be concerned that the patient may be at risk for?
Metabolic alkalosis
The nurse is providing discharge education to a client who had hypophosphatemia while in the hospital. The client has a diet prescribed that is high in phosphate. Which foods should the nurse teach this client to include in the diet? Select all that apply.
Milk Beef Liver
A client has questioned the nurse's administration of intravenous (IV) normal saline, asking, "Wouldn't sterile water be a more appropriate choice than saltwater?" Under what circumstances would the nurse administer electrolyte-free water intravenously?
Never, because it rapidly enters red blood cells, causing them to rupture.
The nurse is analyzing the electrocardiographic (ECG) rhythm tracing of a client experiencing hypercalcemia. Which ECG change is typically associated with this electrolyte imbalance?
Prolonged PR intervals
The nurse is caring for a client who has been involved in a motor vehicle accident. The client's labs indicate a minimally elevated serum creatinine level. The nurse should further assess which body system for signs of injury?
Renal
A client who is being treated for pneumonia reports sudden shortness of breath. An arterial blood gas (ABG) is drawn. The ABG has the following values: pH 7.21, PaCO2 64 mm Hg, HCO3 24 mm Hg. Which condition does the ABG reflect?
Respiratory acidosis
A patient in the ICU starts complaining of being "short of breath." An arterial blood gas (ABG) is drawn. The ABG has the following values: pH = 7.21, PaCO2 = 64 mm Hg, HCO3 = 24 mm Hg. What does the ABG reflect?
Respiratory acidosis
A client comes to the emergency department with status asthmaticus. His respiratory rate is 48 breaths/minute, and he is wheezing. An arterial blood gas analysis reveals a pH of 7.52, a partial pressure of arterial carbon dioxide (PaCO2) of 30 mm Hg, PaO2 of 70 mm Hg, and bicarbonate (HCO3??') of 26 mEq/L. What disorder is indicated by these findings?
Respiratory alkalosis
A client with a longstanding diagnosis of generalized anxiety disorder presents to the emergency room. The triage nurse notes upon assessment that the client is hyperventilating. The triage nurse is aware that hyperventilation is the most common cause of which acid-base imbalance?
Respiratory alkalosis
A nurse reviews the arterial blood gas (ABG) values of a client admitted with pneumonia: pH, 7.51; PaCO2, 28 mm Hg; PaO2, 70 mm Hg; and HCO3--, 24 mEq/L. What do these values indicate?
Respiratory alkalosis
Treatment of FVE involves dietary restriction of sodium. Which of the following food choices would be part of a low-sodium diet, mild restriction (2 to 3 g/day)?
Three ounces of light or dark meat chicken, 1 cup of spaghetti and a garden salad
A client has a serum calcium level of 7.2 mg/dl (1.8 mmol/L). During the physical examination, the nurse expects to assess:
Trousseau's sign.
A client presents with anorexia, nausea and vomiting, deep bone pain, and constipation. The following are the client's laboratory values. sodium 137 mEq/L (137 mmol/L)potassium 4.6 mEq/L (4.6 mmol/L)chloride 94 mEq/L (94 mmol/L)calcium 12.9 mg/dL (3.2 mmol/L)
calcium 12.9 mg/dL (3.2 mmol/L)
A client presents with anorexia, nausea and vomiting, deep bone pain, and constipation. The following are the client's laboratory values. sodium 137 mEq/L (137 mmol/L)potassium 4.6 mEq/L (4.6 mmol/L)chloride 94 mEq/L (94 mmol/L)calcium 12.9 mg/dL (3.2 mmol/L) What laboratory value is of highest concern to the nurse?
calcium 12.9 mg/dL (3.2 mmol/L)
A client with emphysema is at a greater risk for developing which acid-base imbalance?
chronic respiratory acidosis
The nurse is caring for a client who has a peripheral IV in place for fluid replacement. When caring for the client's IV site, the nurse should:
ensure that the tubing is firmly anchored to the client's skin.
Clients diagnosed with hypervolemia should avoid sweet or dry food because it
increases the client's desire to consume fluid.
Clients diagnosed with hypervolemia should avoid sweet or dry food because it:
increases the client's desire to consume fluid.
A client with cancer is being treated on the oncology unit for bilateral breast cancer. The client is undergoing chemotherapy. The nurse notes the client's serum calcium concentration is 12.3 mg/dL (3.08 mmol/L). Given this laboratory finding, the nurse should suspect that the
malignancy is causing the electrolyte imbalance.
A client who complains of an "acid stomach" has been taking baking soda (sodium bicarbonate) regularly as a self-treatment. This may place the client at risk for which acid-base imbalance?
metabolic alkalosis
Following a unilateral adrenalectomy, a nurse should assess for hyperkalemia as indicated by:
muscle weakness.
The nurse is analyzing the arterial blood gas (ABG) results of a client diagnosed with severe pneumonia. Which of the following ABG results indicates respiratory acidosis?
pH: 7.20, PaCO2: 65 mm Hg, HCO3-: 26 mEq/L
A client has been admitted to the hospital unit with signs and symptoms of hypovolemia; however, the client has not lost weight. The client exhibits a localized enlargement of her abdomen. What condition could the client be presenting?
third-spacing
A client is diagnosed with hypocalcemia and the nurse is teaching the client about symptoms. What symptom would the nurse include in the teaching?
tingling sensation in the fingers