Nokea
A client with cancer is experiencing a common side effect of chemotherapy administration. Which laboratory assessment finding would cause the most concern?
- A. A sodium level of 50 mg/dL
- B. A blood glucose of 110 mg/dL
- C. A platelet count of 125,000/mm3
- D. A white cell count of 5,000/mm3
Correct Answer: A
Rationale: A sodium level of 50 mg/dL is impossible (likely a typo for 50 mEq/L, which is severely hyponatremic) and life-threatening, causing seizures. Glucose (B), platelets (C), and WBC (D) are near normal or less critical.
You may also like to solve these questions
A client with a history of asthma is admitted with complaints of wheezing. The nurse should give priority to:
- A. Administering bronchodilators
- B. Monitoring blood pressure
- C. Administering pain medication
- D. Monitoring temperature
Correct Answer: A
Rationale: Bronchodilators relieve wheezing in asthma by relaxing airway smooth muscles, improving airflow.
A mother continues to breast-feed her 3-month-old infant. She tells the nurse that over the past 3 days she has not been producing enough milk to satisfy the infant. The nurse advises the mother to do which of the following?
- A. Start the child on solid food.
- B. Nurse the child more frequently during this growth spurt.
- C. Provide supplements for the child between breastfeeding so you will have enough milk.
- D. Wait 4 hours between feedings so that your breasts will fill up.
Correct Answer: B
Rationale: Solid foods introduced before 4-6 months of age are not compatible with the abilities of the GI tract and the nutritional needs of the infant. Production of milk is supply and demand. A common growth spurt occurs at 3 months of age, and more frequent nursing will increase the milk supply to satisfy the infant. Supplementation will decrease the infant's appetite and in turn decrease the milk supply. When the infant nurses less often or with less vigor, the amount of milk produced decreases. Rigid feeding schedules lead to a decreased milk supply, whereas frequent nursing signals the mother's body to produce a correspondingly increased amount of milk.
A client who uses a respiratory inhaler asks the nurse to explain how he can know when half his medication is empty so that he can refill his prescription. The nurse should tell the client to:
- A. Shake the inhaler and listen for the contents.
- B. Drop the inhaler in water to see if it floats.
- C. Check for a hissing sound as the inhaler is used.
- D. Press the inhaler and watch for the mist.
Correct Answer: B
Rationale: Dropping the inhaler in water to see if it floats is a practical way to estimate remaining medication; a half-empty inhaler will float, while a full one sinks.
A client is placed on lithium therapy for her manic-depressive illness. When monitoring the client, the nurse assesses the laboratory blood values. Toxicity may occur with lithium therapy when the blood level is above:
- A. 1.0 mEq/L
- B. 2.2 mEq/L
- C. 0.03 mEq/L
- D. 1.5 mEq/L
Correct Answer: D
Rationale: This value is the level at which most clients are maintained, and toxicity may occur if the level increases. The client should be monitored closely for symptoms, because some clients become toxic even at this level.
When teaching a mother of a 4-month-old with diarrhea about the importance of preventing dehydration, the nurse would inform the mother about the importance of feeding her child:
- A. Fruit juices
- B. Diluted carbonated drinks
- C. Soy-based, lactose-free formula
- D. Regular formulas mixed with electrolyte solutions
Correct Answer: C
Rationale: Diluted fruit juices are not recommended for rehydration because they tend to aggravate the diarrhea. Diluted soft drinks have a high-carbohydrate content, which aggravates the diarrhea. Soy-based, lactose-free formula reduces stool output and duration of diarrhea in most infants. Regular formulas contain lactose, which can increase diarrhea.