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A nurse is caring for a client who has a postoperative ileus and an NG tube that has drained 2,500 mL in the past 6 hr. Which of the following electrolyte imbalances should the nurse monitor the client for?
- A. Decreased potassium level
- B. Increased sodium level
- C. Increased calcium level
- D. Decreased magnesium level
Correct Answer: A
Rationale: The correct answer is A: Decreased potassium level. Postoperative ileus can lead to gastrointestinal fluid losses, causing a decrease in potassium levels due to excessive drainage through the NG tube. Potassium is an important electrolyte for maintaining normal muscle function, including the heart. Monitoring potassium levels is essential to prevent complications such as cardiac arrhythmias.
Incorrect choices:
B: Increased sodium level - Unlikely in this scenario as excessive drainage would lead to fluid and electrolyte loss.
C: Increased calcium level - Unrelated to postoperative ileus and NG tube drainage.
D: Decreased magnesium level - Possible but not as critical as monitoring potassium levels in this situation.
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A nurse is reviewing the laboratory values of a client who had a myocardial infarction 3 hr ago. The nurse should expect which of the following laboratory values to be elevated?
- A. Serum sodium
- B. Serum glucose
- C. Troponin I
- D. White blood cell count
Correct Answer: C
Rationale: The correct answer is C: Troponin I. Troponin I is a specific marker for myocardial damage. After a myocardial infarction, the damaged heart muscle releases troponin I into the bloodstream, leading to elevated levels. This helps in diagnosing and monitoring the extent of myocardial damage.
A: Serum sodium levels are not typically affected by a myocardial infarction.
B: Serum glucose levels may be elevated due to stress response but are not specific to myocardial infarction.
D: White blood cell count may be elevated in response to inflammation caused by myocardial infarction, but it is not as specific as troponin I.
A nurse in an emergency room is caring for a client who sustained partial-thickness burns to both lower legs, chest, face, and both forearms. Which of the following is the priority action the nurse should take?
- A. Inspect the mouth for signs of inhalation injuries
- B. Administer pain medication
- C. Place the client on oxygen therapy
- D. Start an intravenous line
Correct Answer: A
Rationale: The correct answer is A: Inspect the mouth for signs of inhalation injuries. This is the priority action because inhalation injuries can be life-threatening and must be assessed immediately in burn patients. Burns to the face and chest increase the risk of inhalation injuries due to the proximity to the airway. Administering pain medication, placing the client on oxygen therapy, and starting an IV line are important interventions but inspecting the mouth for signs of inhalation injuries takes precedence in this situation to ensure the client's airway is not compromised.
A nurse on a medical-surgical unit is performing an admission assessment of a client who has COPD with emphysema. The client reports that he has a frequent productive cough and is short of breath. The nurse should anticipate which of the following assessment findings for this client?
- A. Fine crackles in the lungs
- B. Increased anteroposterior diameter of the chest
- C. Increased tactile fremitus
- D. Fever and chills
Correct Answer: B
Rationale: The correct answer is B: Increased anteroposterior diameter of the chest. In COPD with emphysema, there is air trapping leading to hyperinflation of the lungs, causing the chest to expand more in the front-to-back direction (increased anteroposterior diameter). This is known as barrel chest.
A: Fine crackles are not typically associated with COPD/emphysema, they are more common in conditions like heart failure or pneumonia.
C: Increased tactile fremitus is not typically seen in COPD/emphysema, it may be present in conditions like pneumonia.
D: Fever and chills are not typical findings in COPD/emphysema unless there is an infection present.
A nurse in an emergency department is caring for a client who reports substernal chest pain and dyspnea. The client is vomiting and is diaphoretic. Which of the following laboratory tests are used to diagnose a myocardial infarction? (Select all that apply.)
- A. Troponin I, Troponin T, CPK, Myoglobin
- B. Plasma low-density lipoproteins
- C. White blood cell count
- D. Blood glucose level
Correct Answer: A
Rationale: The correct answer is A. Troponin I, Troponin T, CPK, and Myoglobin are all specific laboratory tests used to diagnose a myocardial infarction. Troponin I and T are cardiac biomarkers released into the bloodstream following myocardial cell injury. Creatine phosphokinase (CPK) is an enzyme found in high concentrations in the heart muscle, and elevated levels indicate myocardial damage. Myoglobin is a protein released from damaged muscle cells, including cardiac muscle. These tests provide crucial information to confirm the diagnosis of a myocardial infarction.
Plasma low-density lipoproteins are not specific for diagnosing a myocardial infarction. White blood cell count is not typically used for diagnosing a myocardial infarction, although it may be elevated in response to inflammation associated with heart damage. Blood glucose level is not specific for diagnosing a myocardial infarction and
A nurse is caring for an older adult client who has rheumatoid arthritis (RA) and is taking aspirin 650 mg every 4 hours. Which of the following diagnostic tests should the nurse monitor to evaluate the effectiveness of this medication?
- A. C-reactive protein
- B. Erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR)
- C. White blood cell count
- D. Hematocrit
Correct Answer: B
Rationale: The correct answer is B: Erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR). ESR is a common test used to monitor inflammation levels in rheumatoid arthritis (RA) patients. Aspirin is an anti-inflammatory medication, so monitoring ESR can help assess the effectiveness of the treatment. A decrease in ESR levels indicates a reduction in inflammation, suggesting that the aspirin is working. The other choices (A, C, D) are not specific to monitoring the effectiveness of aspirin in RA. C-reactive protein and white blood cell count are general markers of inflammation and infection, not specific to RA. Hematocrit measures red blood cell levels, which are not directly related to the effectiveness of aspirin in treating RA.