Med Surg Chapter 13 Unit 2
A 160-pound patient, diagnosed with hypovolemia, is weighed every day. The health care provider asked to be notified if the patient loses 1,000 mL of fluid in 24 hours. Choose the weight that would be consistent with this amount of fluid loss.
158 lbs Explanation: A loss of 0.5 kg or 1 lb represents a fluid loss of about 500 mL. Therefore, a loss of 1,000 mL would be equivalent to the loss of 2 lbs (160 - 2 = 158 lbs).
A 48 yr old patient weights 195 lbs. What is the expected urinary output for optimal renal perfusion?
88ml/hr
A client with emphysema is at a greater risk for developing which of the following acid-base imbalances?
Chronic respiratory acidosis Explanation: Respiratory acidosis, which may be either acute or chronic, is caused by excess carbonic acid, which causes the blood pH to drop below 7.35. Chronic respiratory acidosis is associated with disorders such as emphysema, bronchiectasis, bronchial asthma, and cystic fibrosis
The nurse is caring for a patient with a serum potassium level of 6.0 mEq/L. The patient is ordered to receive oral sodium polystyrene sulfonate (Kayexelate) and furosemide (Lasix). What other orders should the nurse anticipate giving?
Discontinue the IV lactated Ringer's solution. Correct Explanation: The lactated Ringer's IV fluid is contributing to both the fluid volume excess and the hyperkalemia. In addition to the volume of IV fluids contributing to the fluid volume excess, lactated Ringer's contains more sodium than daily requirements and excess sodium worsens fluid volume excess. Lactated Ringer's also contains potassium, which would worsen the hyperkalemia.
Which laboratory result does the nurse identify as a direct result of the client's hypovolemic status with hemoconcentration?
Elevated hematocrit level Explanation: When hemoconcentration occurs due to a hypovolemic state, a high ratio of blood components in relation to watery plasma occurs, thus causing an elevated hematocrit level. A high white blood cell count and urine specific gravity is also noted. Other causes of an abnormal potassium level may be present.
To compensate for decreased fluid volume (hypovolemia), the nurse can anticipate which response by the body?
Fluid volume deficit, or hypovolemia, occurs when the loss of extracellular fluid exceeds the intake of fluid. Clinical signs include oliguia, rapid heart rate, vasoconstriction, cool and clammy skin, and muscle weakness. The nurse monitors for rapid, weak pulse and orthostatic hypotension
A patient with a magnesium level of 2.6 mEq/L is being treated on a medical-surgical unit. Which of the following treatments should the nurse anticipate will be used?
IV furosemide (Lasix) Correct Explanation: The nurse should anticipate the administration of Lasix for the treatment of hypermagnesemia. Administration of loop diuretics (e.g., furosemide) and sodium chloride or lactated Ringer's IV solution enhances magnesium excretion in patients with adequate renal function.
Your client has a diagnosis of hypervolemia. What would be an important intervention that you would initiate?
Implement prescribed interventions such as limiting sodium and water intake and administering ordered medications that promote fluid elimination. Assessing for dehydration and teaching to decrease urination would not be appropriate interventions.
A nurse is assessing a client with syndrome of inappropriate antidiuretic hormone. Which finding requires further action?
Jugular vein distention Explanation: Jugular vein distention requires further action because this finding signals vascular fluid overload. Tetanic contractions aren't associated with this disorder, but weight gain and fluid retention from oliguria are. Polyuria is associated with diabetes insipidus, which occurs with inadequate production of antidiuretic hormone
Your client's lab values are sodium 166 mEq/L, potassium 5.0 mEq/L, chloride 115 mEq/L, and bicarbonate 35 mEq/L. What condition is this client likely to have, judging by anion gap?
Metabolic Acidsosis - The anion gap is the difference between sodium and potassium cations and the sum of chloride and bicarbonate anions. An anion gap that exceeds 16 mEq/L indicates metabolic acidosis. In this case, the anion gap is (166 + 5) minus (115 + 35), yielding 21 mEq/L, which suggests metabolic acidosis. Anion gap is not used to check for respiratory alkalosis, metabolic alkalosis, or respiratory acidosis
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 Explanation: This client's pH value is below normal, indicating acidosis. The HCO3- value also is below normal, reflecting an overwhelming accumulation of acids or excessive loss of base, which suggests metabolic acidosis. The PaCO2 value is normal, indicating absence of respiratory compensation. These ABG values eliminate respiratory alkalosis, respiratory acidosis, and metabolic alkalosis.
A client with chronic renal failure has a serum potassium level of 6.8 mEq/L. What should the nurse assess first?
Pulse Explanation: An elevated serum potassium level may lead to a life-threatening cardiac arrhythmia, which the nurse can detect immediately by palpating the pulse. In addition to assessing the client's pulse, the nurse should place the client on a cardiac monitor because an arrythmia can occur suddenly. The client's blood pressure may change, but only as a result of the arrhythmia. Therefore, the nurse should assess blood pressure later. The nurse also may delay assessing respirations and temperature because these aren't affected by the serum potassium level
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 Explanation: A client with pneumonia may hyperventilate in an effort to increase oxygen intake. Hyperventilation leads to excess carbon dioxide (CO2) loss, which causes alkalosis — indicated by this client's elevated pH value. With respiratory alkalosis, the kidneys' bicarbonate (HCO3-) response is delayed, so the client's HCO3- level remains normal. The below-normal value for the partial pressure of arterial carbon dioxide (PaCO2) indicates CO2 loss and signals a respiratory component. Because the HCO3- level is normal, this imbalance has no metabolic component. Therefore, the client is experiencing respiratory alkalosis
A client is diagnosed with syndrome of inappropriate antidiuretic hormone (SIADH). The nurse should anticipate which laboratory test result?
Serum Sodium Level 124 mEq/L Explanation: In SIADH, the posterior pituitary gland produces excess antidiuretic hormone (vasopressin), which decreases water excretion by the kidneys. This, in turn, reduces the serum sodium level, causing hyponatremia, as indicated by a serum sodium level of 124 mEq/L. In SIADH, the serum creatinine level isn't affected by the client's fluid status and remains within normal limits. A hematocrit of 52% and a BUN level of 8.6 mg/dl are elevated. Typically, the hematocrit and BUN level decrease.
Which of the following is a factor affecting an increase in urine osmolality?
Syndrome of inappropriate antidiuretic hormone release (SIADH) Explanation: Factors increasing urine osmolality include SIADH, fluid volume deficit, acidosis, and congestive heart failure. Myocardial infarction typically is not a factor that increases urine osmolality
What clinical indication of hyperphosphatemia does the nurse assess in a patient?
Tetany Correct Explanation: Tetany is a symptom of hyperphosphatemia. Bone pain, peresthesia, and seizures are associated with hypophosphatemia.
Respiratory alkalosis, respiratory acidosis symptoms
The client with respiratory alkalosis may complain of light-headedness or paresthesia (numbness and tingling in the arms and legs). Nausea, vomiting, abdominal pain, and diarrhea may accompany respiratory acidosis. Hallucinations and tinnitus rarely are associated with respiratory alkalosis or any other acid-base imbalance
A 57-year-old homeless female with a history of alcohol abuse has been admitted to your hospital unitwith signs and symptoms of hypovolemia—minus the weight loss. She exhibits a localized enlargement of her abdomen. What condition could she be presenting?
Third-spacing Explanation: Third-spacing describes the translocation of fluid from the intravascular or intercellular space to tissue compartments, where it becomes trapped and useless. The client manifests signs and symptoms of hypovolemia with the exception of weight loss. There may be signs of localized enlargement of organ cavities (such as the abdomen) if they fill with fluid, a condition referred to as ascites. This occurs when indentations remain in the skin after compression. This is another term for generalized edema, or brawny edema, in which the interstitial spaces fill with fluid. Hypovolemia (fluid volume deficit) refers to a low volume of extracellular fluid.
It is important for a nurse to know how to calculate the corrected serum calcium level for a patient when hypocalcemia is seen along with low serum albumin levels. Calculate the corrected serum calcium when the serum calcium is 9 mg/dL and the serum albumin is 3 g/dL.
To calculate corrected serum calcium, subtract the normal serum albumin level of 4 g/dL from the reported albumin level of 3 g/dL, multiply that value (1) by 0.8 (constant factor) and then add that result (0.8 mg) to the reported serum level of 9 mg/dL. Therefore, 9 + 0.8 = 9.8 mg/dL (corrected value). Note: a constant factor of 0.8 is used because, for every decrease in serum albumin of 1 g/dL below 4 g/dL, the total serum calcium level is underestimated by 0.8 mg/dL.
The nurse is assigned to care for a patient with a serum phosphorus level of 5.0 mg/dL. The nurse anticipates that the patient will also experience which of the following electrolyte imbalances?
You selected: Hypocalcemia Explanation: The patient is experiencing an elevated serum phosphorus level. Hyperphosphatemia is defined as a serum phosphorus level that exceeds 4.5 mg/dL (1.45 mmol/L). Because of the reciprocal relationship between phosphorus and calcium, a high serum phosphorus level tends to cause a low serum calcium concentration.
The health care provider ordered an IV solution for a dehydrated patient with a head injury. Select the IV solution that the nurse knows would be contraindicated.
b. 5% DW Explanation: A solution of D5W is an isotonic IV solution that is contraindicated in head injury because it may increase intracranial pressure.
Early signs of hypervolemia include
increased breathing effort and weight gain Correct Explanation: Early signs of hypervolemia are weight gain, elevated blood pressure, and increased breathing effort. Eventually, fluid congestion in the lungs leads to moist breath sounds. An earliest symptom of hypovolemia is thirst.
A patient's serum sodium concentration is within the normal range. What should the nurse estimate the serum osmolality to be?
n healthy adults, normal serum osmolality is 270 to 300 mOsm/kg (Crawford & Harris, 2011c).
The nurse is caring for a patient with a diagnosis of hyponatremia. What nursing intervention is appropriate to include in the plan of care for this patient? (Select all that apply.)
• Assessing for symptoms of nausea and malaise • Monitoring neurologic status • Restricting tap water intake Explanation: For patients at risk, the nurse closely laboratory values (i.e., sodium) and be alert for GI manifestations such as anorexia, nausea, vomiting, and abdominal cramping. The nurse must be alert for central nervous system changes, such as lethargy, confusion, muscle twitching, and seizures. Neurologic signs are associated with very low sodium levels that have fallen rapidly because of fluid overloading. For a patient with abnormal losses of sodium who can consume a general diet, the nurse encourages foods and fluids with high sodium content to control hyponatremia. For example, broth made with one beef cube contains approximately 900 mg of sodium; 8 oz of tomato juice contains approximately 700 mg of sodium. If the primary problem is water retention, it is safer to restrict fluid intake than to administer sodium.