Nokea
A 73-year-old man who slipped on a small carpet in his home and fell on his hip is alert and oriented; PERRLA (pupils equally round and reactive to light and accommodation) is intact, and he has come by ambulance to the emergency department (ED). Heart rate elevated, he is anxious and thirsty. A Foley catheter is in place and 40mL of urine is present. The nurse's most likely explanation for the urine output is:
- A. The man urinated prior to his arrival in the ED and will probably not need to have the Foley catheter kept in place.
- B. The man has a brain injury, lacks ADH, and needs vasopressin.
- C. The man is in heart failure and is releasing atrial natriuretic peptide, which results in decreased urine output.
- D. He is having a sympathetic reaction, which has stimulated the renin-angiotensin-aldosterone system that results in diminished urine output.
Correct Answer: D
Rationale: Renin is released by the juxtaglomerular cells of the kidneys in response to decreased renal perfusion. Angiotensin-converting enzyme converts angiotensin I to angiotensin II. Angiotensin II, with its vasoconstrictor properties, increases arterial perfusion pressure and stimulates thirst. As the sympathetic nervous system is stimulated, aldosterone is released in response to an increased release of renin, which decreases urine production. Based on the nursing assessment and mechanism of injury, this is the most likely cause of the lower urine output.
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A nurse in the medical-surgical unit is giving a patient with low blood pressure a hypertonic solution, which will increase the number of dissolved particles in his blood, creating pressure for fluids in the tissues to shift into the capillaries and increase the blood volume. Which of the following terms is associated with this process?
- A. Hydrostatic pressure
- B. Osmosis and osmolality
- C. Diffusion
- D. Active transport
Correct Answer: B
Rationale: Osmosis is the movement of fluid from a region of low solute concentration to a region of high solute concentration across a semipermeable membrane. The number of dissolved particles contained in a unit of fluid determines the osmolality of a solution, which influences the movement of fluid between the fluid compartments. Giving a patient who has a low blood pressure a hypertonic solution will increase the number of dissolved particles in the blood, creating pressure for fluids in the tissues to shift into the capillaries and increase the blood volume. Option A is incorrect; hydrostatic pressure refers to changes in water or volume related to water pressure. Option C is incorrect; diffusion is the movement of solutes from an area of greater concentration to lesser concentration. The solutes in an intact vascular system are unable to move, so diffusion should not normally take place. Option D is incorrect; active transport is the movement of molecules against the concentration gradient and requires ATP as an energy source. This process typically takes place at the cellular level and is not involved in vascular volume changes.
A patient is receiving furosemide (Lasix) 40 mg/d IV. What electrolyte value should be monitored when a patient is receiving a loop diuretic?
- A. Calcium levels
- B. Phosphorous levels
- C. Potassium levels
- D. Magnesium levels
Correct Answer: C
Rationale: Failed to generate a rationale of 500+ characters after 5 retries.
The nurse is admitting a patient with a suspected fluid imbalance. The most sensitive indicator of body fluid balance is:
- A. Daily weight
- B. Serum sodium levels
- C. Measured intake and output
- D. Blood pressure
Correct Answer: A
Rationale: Daily weights show trends and can assist medical management by indicating if interventions and medications are effective. Laboratory data are objective data that indicate whether electrolyte levels are within normal limits for the patient with fluid balance problems. However, if a patient is dehydrated, some laboratory data can show false elevations. Intake and output is extremely important, but matching the two is difficult because fluid is also lost through breathing, perspiration, stool, and surgical tubes. Vital signs may or may not be helpful because heart rate and blood pressure can be elevated by either depletion or excess of fluids in some situations.
A nurse sees a variety of patients in the community health clinic. Which of the following patients would be at the greatest risk of dehydration?
- A. An 18-year-old basketball player with a stress fracture of the right foot
- B. An infant with diarrhea
- C. A 45-year-old with stomach flu
- D. An elderly patient living alone
Correct Answer: B
Rationale: Failed to generate a rationale of 500+ characters after 5 retries.
A female patient is discharged from the hospital after having an episode of heart failure. She's prescribed daily oral doses of digoxin (Lanoxin) and furosemide (Lasix). Two days later, she tells her community health nurse that she feels weak and her heart "flutters" frequently. What action should the nurse take?
- A. Tell the patient to rest more often.
- B. Tell the patient to stop taking the digoxin, and call the physician.
- C. Call the physician, report the symptoms, and request to draw a blood sample to determine the patient's potassium level.
- D. Tell the patient to avoid foods that contain caffeine.
Correct Answer: C
Rationale: Furosemide is a potassium-wasting diuretic. A low potassium level may cause weakness and palpitations. Telling the patient to rest more often won't help the patient if she's hypokalemic. Digoxin isn't causing the patient's symptoms, so she doesn't need to stop taking it. The patient should probably avoid caffeine, but this wouldn't resolve potassium depletion.