Chapter 40: Fluid, Electrolyte, and Acid-Base Balance
The student nurse asks, "What is intravascular fluid?" What is the appropriate nursing response?
"Watery plasma, or serum, portion of blood." Intracellular fluid (fluid inside cells) represents the greatest proportion of water in the body. The remaining body fluid is extracellular fluid (fluid outside cells). Extracellular fluid is further subdivided into interstitial fluid (fluid in the tissue space between and around cells) and intravascular fluid (the watery plasma, or serum, portion of blood).
A nurse is providing care to a client with an extracellular fluid (ECF) volume deficit. The nurse suspects that the deficit involves a decrease in vascular volume based on which finding? Select all that apply.
-orthostatic hypotension -decreased urine output -slow-filling peripheral veins
The nurse is assessing a newly admitted client and finds that he has edema of his right ankle that is 2 mm and just perceptible. The nurse documents this at which grade?
1+ The edema in the client should be graded as 1+, which means that the edema is just perceptible and of 2 mm dimension. A measurement of 2+ or 3+ indicates moderate edema of 4 to 6 mm. A measurement of 4+ indicates severe edema of 8 mm or more.
The nurse is monitoring fluid intake and output (I&O) for a client who has diarrhea. What will the nurse document as input on the record? Select all that apply.
100 ml from melted ice chips serving of jello infusion of intravenous solution cup of ice cream
The nurse is calculating an infusion rate for the following order: Infuse 1,000 mL of 0.9% NaCl over 12 hours using an electronic infusion device. What is the infusion rate?
83 mL/hr When calculating the infusion rate with an electronic device, divide the total volume to be infused (1,000 mL) by the total amount of time in hours (12). This is 83 mL/hr. Other options are incorrect.
A client is receiving a peripheral IV infusion and the electronic pump is alarming frequently due to occluded flow. What is the nurse's most appropriate action?
Flush the IV with 3 mL of normal saline. If fluid is slow to infuse, the nurse should reposition the client's arm and/or flush the IV. Changing to IV infusion will not resolve the problem and heparin is not used for clearing peripheral IVs. Deep vein thrombosis is unrelated to slow IV fluid infusion.
A nurse is obtaining an arterial blood specimen from a client to assess acid-base status. Which value is expected for a client with normal status?
Normal values include: HCO3: 22 to 26 mEq/L; pH: 7.35 to 7.45; PaCO2: 35; and SaO2: oxygen saturation greater than 95%.
A client admitted with heart failure requires careful monitoring of his fluid status. Which method will provide the nurse with the best indication of the client's fluid status?
daily weights Due to the possible numerous sources of inaccuracies in fluid intake and output measurement, the record of a client's daily weight may be the more accurate measurement of a client's fluid status. Laboratory tests are helpful in assessing kidney function and electrolyte values, but do not provide the precise information on fluid losses or gains as is provided by a daily weight (at the same time, using the same scale). Output measurements are not meaningful without intake measurements.
After surgery, a client is on IV therapy for the next 4 days. How often should the nurse change the IV tubing for this client?
every 72 hours IV tubings are generally changed every 72 hours or as per the facility's policy. Solutions are replaced when they finish infusing or every 24 hours, whichever occurs first. IV tubings are not replaced after every solution is over or after every 12, 24, or 36 hours.
The nurse is caring for a client who was in a motor vehicle accident and has severe cerebral edema. Which fluid does the nurse anticipate infusing?
hypertonic A hypertonic solution is more concentrated than body fluid and draws cellular and interstitial water into the intravascular compartment. This causes cells and tissue spaces to shrink. Hypertonic solutions are used infrequently, except in extreme cases when it is necessary to reduce cerebral edema or to expand the circulatory volume rapidly. The nurse does not anticipate using isotonic fluids.
A client who is admitted to the health care facility has been diagnosed with cerebral edema. Which intravenous solution needs to be administered to this client?
hypertonic solution
A young man has developed gastric esophageal reflux disease. He is treating it with antacids. Which acid-base imbalance is he at risk for developing?
metabolic alkalosis Endocrine disorders and ingestion of large amounts of antacids cause metabolic alkalosis.
Which nursing interventions would be appropriate for a client diagnosed with deficient fluid volume? Select all that apply.
Intravenous therapy Electrolyte management Nutrition management If a client is at a fluid volume deficit, intravenous therapy may be ordered by the primary care provider to replenish fluids and electrolytes, warranting fluid and electrolyte management. Nutrition management may help to increase and maintain electrolyte levels by adding foods high in certain electrolytes to the diet. Hypervolemia refers to fluid volume excess. Fluid restriction would be contraindicated because the client is already at a deficit. Edema would be monitored in the case of fluid volume excess.
The nurse is planning to discontinue a peripherally inserted central catheter (PICC) for a client who is prescribed warfarin therapy. Which intervention will individualize care for this client?
Apply pressure to insertion site for at least 3 minutes. The nurse recognizes that the client prescribed warfarin is at risk for bleeding and individualizes care by applying pressure to the insertion site for longer than the minimum recommended 1 minute. The remaining interventions are appropriate for all clients when discontinuing a PICC line; they do not individualize care for the client prescribed warfarin.
The nursing is caring for a client who has a peripheral intravenous (IV) catheter in place. The nurse is flushing the new IV tubing to hang the infusion. After reviewing the actions performed by the nurse in the image, which step should the nurse take next?
Discard the tubing, prime new tubing and administer the infusion at the prescribed rate of flow Intravenous site solutions should not become contaminated at any point prior to or during the priming process or when preparing to administer or connect an IV catheter to a client's IV site. The other answers are incorrect and not appropriate.
The nurse is caring for a client with "hyperkalemia related to decreased renal excretion secondary to potassium-conserving diuretic therapy." What is an appropriate expected outcome?
ECG will show no cardiac dysrhythmias within 48 hours after removing salt substitutes, coffee, tea, and other K+-rich foods from diet. If the client is taking a potassium-conserving diuretic, he must be mindful of the amount of potassium he is ingesting because the potassium level is more likely to elevate above normal. Cardiac dysrhythmias may result if hyperkalemia occurs. Supplemental potassium should not be added to the client's intake. Potassium does not have a direct impact on bowel motility.
A nurse is caring for a client who has recently suffered burns on 30% of his body. Based on his condition, what type of IV solution might be ordered for this client?
Lactated Ringer's Lactated Ringer's solution is a roughly isotonic solution that contains multiple electrolytes in about the same concentrations as found in plasma (note that this solution is lacking in Mg2+and PO43- ). It is used in the treatment of hypovolemia, burns, and fluid lost as bile or diarrhea and in treating mild metabolic acidosis.
A nurse is administering a blood transfusion to a client. After 15 minutes, the client reports difficulty breathing. What is the first action by the nurse?
Stop the transfusion and infuse normal saline using a new administration set.
During a blood transfusion, a client displays signs of immediate onset facial flushing, hypotension, tachycardia, and chills. Which transfusion reaction should the nurse suspect?
The listed symptoms occur when a blood product is incompatible. Hives, itching, and anaphylaxis occur in allergic reactions; fever, chills, headache, and malaise occur in febrile reactions. In a bacterial reaction, fever; hypertension; dry, flushed skin; and abdominal pain occur.
Which statement most accurately describes the process of osmosis?
Water moves from an area of lower solute concentration to an area of higher solute concentration. Osmosis is the primary method of transporting body fluids, in which water moves from an area of lesser solute concentration and more water to an area of greater solute concentration and less water. Solutes do not move during osmosis. Plasma proteins do not facilitate the reabsorption of fluid into the capillaries, but assist with colloid osmotic pressure, which is related to, but not synonymous with, the process of osmosis.
Which client would be a candidate for total parenteral nutrition?
a client with colitis and bloody diarrhea Total parenteral nutrition is indicated when there is interference with nutrient absorption from the gastrointestinal tract or when complete bowel rest is necessary for healing. A client with bloody diarrhea and colitis requires complete bowel rest.
An infant is brought to the emergency room with dehydration due to vomiting. After several failed attempts to start an IV, the nurse observes a scalp vein. When accessing the scalp vein, the nurse should use:
a winged infusion needle. Winged infusion needles are short, beveled needles with plastic flaps or wings. They may be used for short-term therapy or when therapy is given to a child or infant.
Which client is at a greater risk for fluid volume deficit related to the loss of total body fluid and extracellular fluid?
an infant age 4 months An infant has considerably more total body fluid and extracellular fluid (ECF) than does an adult. Because ECF is more easily lost from the body than intracellular fluid, infants are more prone to fluid volume deficits. An adolescent at 17 years is considered to have an adultlike body system similar to the 45-and 50-year-old.
A home care nurse is teaching a client and family about the importance of a balanced diet. The nurse determines that the education was successful when the client identifies which of the following as a rich source of potassium?
apricots
The nurse is caring for a client who had a parathyroidectomy. Upon evaluation of the client's laboratory studies, the nurse would expect to see imbalances in which electrolytes related to the removal of the parathyroid gland?
calcium and phosphorus The parathyroid gland secretes parathyroid hormone, which regulates the level of calcium and phosphorus. Removal of the parathyroid gland will cause calcium and phosphorus imbalances. Sodium, chloride, and potassium are regulated by the kidneys and affected by fluid balance.
A client needs an intravenous fluid that will pull fluids into the vascular space. What type of fluid does the nurse prepare to administer as prescribed?
hypertonic solution A hypertonic solution has a greater osmolarity than plasma, which causes water to move out of the cells and be drawn into the intravascular compartment. A hypotonic solution has a lower osmolarity than plasma; therefore, fluid would move out of the intravascular space rather than pulling fluids from the tissues into the vascular space. An isotonic fluid remains in the intravascular compartment without any net flow across the semipermeable membrane. The concentration of particles in a solution is referred to as the osmolarity of a solution.
Endurance athletes who exercise for long periods of time and consume only water may experience a sodium deficit in their extracellular fluid. This electrolyte imbalance is known as:
hyponatremia
A client with protracted nausea and vomiting has been receiving intravenous solution at 125 ml/h for the past several hours. The administration of this solution has resulted in an increase in blood pressure because the water in the solution has passed through the semipermeable membrane of blood cells, causing them to swell. What type of solution has the client been receiving?
hypotonic Because hypotonic solutions are dilute, the water in the solution passes through the semipermeable membrane of blood cells, causing them to swell. This temporarily increases blood pressure as it expands the circulating volume. Hypertonic solutions draw water out of body cells while isotonic solutions have little effect on the distribution of body fluids. Blood transfusions do not cause the entry of water into body cells.
During an assessment of an older adult client, the nurse notes an increase in pulse and respiration rates, and notes that the client has warm skin. The nurse also notes a decrease in the client's blood pressure. Which medical diagnosis may be responsible?
hypovolemia The nurse should recognize that hypovolemia, also known as dehydration, may be responsible. Additional indicators of dehydration in older adults include mental status changes; increases in pulse and respiration rates; decrease in blood pressure; dark, concentrated urine with a high specific gravity; dry mucous membranes; warm skin; furrowed tongue; low urine output; hardened stools; and elevated hematocrit, hemoglobin, serum sodium, and blood urea nitrogen (BUN) Hypervolemia means a higher-than-normal volume of water in the intravascular fluid compartment and is another example of a fluid imbalance that would manifest itself with different signs and symptoms. Edema develops when excess fluid is distributed to the interstitial space.
The nurse is caring for Mrs. Roberts, an 86-year-old client, who fell at home and was not found for 2 days. Mrs. Roberts is severely dehydrated. The nurse is aware that older adults are at increased risk for fluid imbalance due to:
increase in fat cells The decreasing percentage of body fluid in older adults is related to an increase in fat cells. In addition, older adults lose muscle mass as a part of aging. The combined increase of fat and loss of muscle results in reduced total body water; after the age of 60, total body water is about 45% of a person's body weight. This decrease in water increases the risk for fluid imbalance in older adults. Older adults do not have an increase muscle mass, smaller stomach capacity, or decrease skin area.
A nurse is preparing an education plan for a client with heart failure who is experiencing edema. As part of the plan, the nurse wants to describe the underlying mechanism for why the edema develops. Which mechanism will nurse likely address?
increased hydrostatic pressure The edema that occurs with heart failure is caused by decreased cardiac output with a back-up of blood resulting from increased hydrostatic pressure. Decreased colloid oncotic pressure is the mechanism responsible for edema of malnutrition, liver failure, and nephrosis. Lymph node blockage is the mechanism responsible for edema associated with a mastectomy or lymphoma. Increased capillary permeability is the mechanism responsible for edema associated with allergies, septic shock and pulmonary edema.
A client is diagnosed with metabolic acidosis. The nurse develops a plan of care for this client based on the understanding that the body compensates for this condition by:
increasing ventilation through the lungs. The body compensates for the metabolic acidosis by increasing ventilation through the lungs, thus increasing the rate of carbonic acid excretion, resulting in a fall in PaCO2. To compensate for respiratory alkalosis, the kidneys increase the excretion of HCO3− to the urine. Kidneys compensate for respiratory acidosis by increasing the excretion of H+ ion into the urine. The kidneys respond to metabolic alkalosis by retaining acid and excreting HCO3−.
The nurse, along with a nursing student, is caring for Mrs. Roper, who was admitted with dehydration. The student asks the nurse where most of the body fluid is located. The nurse should answer with which fluid compartment?
intracellular Intracellular is the fluid within cells, constituting about 70% of the total body water. Extracellular is all the fluid outside the cells, accounting for about 30% of the total body water. Interstitial fluid is part of the extracellular compartment. Intravascular is also part of the extracellular compartment.
Which solution is a crystalloid solution that has the same osmotic pressure as that found within the cells of the body and is used to expand the intravascular volume?
isotonic Isotonic fluids have an osmolarity of 250-375 mOsm/L, which is the same osmotic pressure as that found within the cell.
A group of nursing students is reviewing information about body fluid and locations. The students demonstrate understanding of the material when they identify which of the following as a function of intracellular fluid?
maintenance of cell size The main function of the intracellular fluid is to maintain cell size. Vascular fluid is essential for the maintenance of adequate blood volume, blood pressure, and cardiovascular system functioning. Interstitial fluid, which surrounds the body's cells, is important for the transportation of oxygen, nutrients, hormones, and other essential chemicals between the blood and the cell cytoplasm. Vascular and interstitial fluids also are important for waste removal.
A nurse is providing care to a client with an extracellular fluid (ECF) volume deficit. The nurse suspects that the deficit involves a decrease in vascular volume based on which finding? Select all that apply.
orthostatic hypotension decreased urine output slow-filling peripheral veins The signs and symptoms of an ECF volume deficit reflect decreases in fluid volume in the vascular and interstitial spaces. The signs and symptoms of a decrease in vascular volume include orthostatic or postural changes in pulse rate and blood pressure (i.e., an increase in pulse rate and decrease in blood pressure when the person moves from a lying to a standing position); weak, rapid pulse; decreased urine output; and slow-filling peripheral veins. The signs and symptoms of decreased interstitial volume include dry mucous membranes and poor skin turgor.
A client sustained severe trauma in a motor vehicle accident and has had 26 units of packed red blood cells infused since admission 2 days previously. What does the nurse predict will be prescribed to replace the clotting factors lost with the infusion of large amounts of packed red blood cells?
plasma The infusion of plasma helps restore and replace the clotting factors that are lost with the infusion of large amounts of packed red blood cells. Albumin pulls third-spaced fluid by increasing colloidal osmotic pressure but does not restore clotting factors. The infusion of granulocytes improves the ability of the body to overcome infection. Normal saline is an isotonic solution that replaces fluid loss but does not replace clotting factors.
The nurse writes a nursing diagnosis of "Fluid Volume: Excess." for a client. What risk factor would the nurse assess in this client?
renal failure Excess fluid volume may result from increased fluid intake or from decreased excretion, such as occurs with progressive renal disease. Excessive use of laxatives, diaphoresis, and increased cardiac output may lead to a fluid volume deficit.
