HESI Medical Surgical Assignment Exam Related

Review HESI Medical Surgical Assignment Exam related questions and content

A client has an elevated blood urea nitrogen (BUN)/creatinine ratio. Which action should the nurse take first?

  • A. Assess the client's dietary habits.
  • B. Inquire about the client's use of nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs).
  • C. Hold the client's metformin (Glucophage).
  • D. Contact the health care provider immediately.
Correct Answer: A

Rationale: An elevated blood urea nitrogen (BUN)/creatinine ratio can indicate various conditions such as dehydration, urinary obstruction, catabolism, or a high-protein diet. The initial action the nurse should take is to assess the client's dietary habits to determine if the elevated ratio is related to diet. Inquiring about the use of NSAIDs is important as they can impact kidney function, but dietary causes should be ruled out first. Holding metformin or contacting the health care provider without assessing the dietary habits would be premature actions as they may not address the underlying cause of the elevated BUN/creatinine ratio.