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A nurse assesses a client who has a 15-year history of diabetes and notes decreased tactile sensation in both feet. Which action should the nurse take first?
- A. Document the finding in the client's chart.
- B. Assess tactile sensation in the client's hands.
- C. Examine the client's feet for signs of injury.
- D. Notify the health care provider.
Correct Answer: C
Rationale: Diabetic neuropathy is common in long-standing diabetes, increasing the risk of injury in areas with decreased sensation, such as the feet. Examining the feet for signs of injury is the priority to prevent complications like infections or ulcers. Documentation, assessing hand sensation, and notifying the provider should follow after the initial assessment.
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A nurse cares for a client with diabetes mellitus who asks, 'Why do I need to administer more than one injection of insulin each day?' How should the nurse respond?
- A. You need to start with multiple injections until you become more proficient at self-injection.
- B. A single dose of insulin each day would not match your blood insulin levels and your food intake patterns.
- C. A regimen of a single dose of insulin injected each day would require that you eat fewer carbohydrates.
- D. A single dose of insulin would be too large to be absorbed, putting you at risk for insulin shock.
Correct Answer: B
Rationale: Multiple insulin injections are needed to match insulin levels with food intake and activity patterns, preventing wide blood glucose fluctuations. Proficiency in injection, carbohydrate restriction, or absorption issues are not the primary reasons for multiple doses.
A nurse assesses a client who is being treated for hyperglycemic-hyperosmolar state (HHS). Which clinical manifestation indicates to the nurse that the therapy needs to be adjusted?
- A. Serum potassium level has increased.
- B. Blood osmolarity has decreased.
- C. Glasgow Coma Scale score is unchanged.
- D. Urine remains negative for ketone bodies.
Correct Answer: C
Rationale: An unchanged Glasgow Coma Scale score indicates no improvement in consciousness, suggesting inadequate fluid replacement in HHS. Increased potassium, decreased osmolarity, and negative ketones are expected or not indicative of treatment failure.
A nurse teaches a client who is diagnosed with diabetes mellitus. Which statement should the nurse include in this client's plan of care to delay the onset of microvascular and macrovascular complications?
- A. Maintain tight glycemic control and prevent hyperglycemia.
- B. Prevent hypoglycemia with insulin.
- C. Restrict your fluid intake to no more than 2 liters a day.
- D. Limit your intake of protein to prevent ketoacidosis.
Correct Answer: A
Rationale: Hyperglycemia is a critical factor in the pathogenesis of long-term diabetic complications. Maintaining tight glycemic control helps delay the onset of microvascular and macrovascular complications. Fluid restriction, preventing hypoglycemia, and limiting protein are not the primary strategies for this goal.
A nurse reviews the laboratory results of a client who is receiving intravenous insulin. Which should alert the nurse to intervene immediately?
- A. Serum chloride level of 98 mmol/L.
- B. Serum calcium level of 8.8 mg/dL.
- C. Serum sodium level of 132 mmol/L.
- D. Serum potassium level of 2.5 mmol/L.
Correct Answer: D
Rationale: Insulin promotes potassium movement into cells, risking hypokalemia (2.5 mmol/L is low). This requires immediate intervention to prevent complications like arrhythmias. The other values are near normal and not directly related to insulin therapy.
A nurse assesses a client who has diabetes mellitus and notes the client is awake and alert, but shaky, diaphoretic, and weak. Five minutes after administering a half-cup of orange juice, the client's clinical manifestations have not changed. Which action should the nurse take next?
- A. Administer another half-cup of orange juice.
- B. Administer a half-ampule of dextrose 50%.
- C. Administer 10 units of regular insulin subcutaneously.
- D. Administer 1 mg of glucagon intramuscularly.
Correct Answer: A
Rationale: The client has mild hypoglycemia, and since the initial orange juice did not resolve symptoms, repeating the oral glucose treatment is appropriate. Intravenous dextrose, insulin, or glucagon are not indicated for mild, unresolved symptoms in an alert client.