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A nurse is caring for a client who has just experienced a 90-second tonic-clonic seizure. The clients arterial blood gas values are pH 6.88, PaO2 50 mm Hg, PaCO2 60 mm Hg, and HCO3 22 mEq/L. Which action should the nurse take first?
- A. . Apply oxygen by mask or nasal cannula
- B. Apply a paper bag over the clients nose and mouth.
- C. Administer 50 mL of sodium bicarbonate intravenously.
- D. Administer 50 mL of 20% glucose and 20 units of regular insulin.
Correct Answer: A
Rationale: The correct answer is A: Apply oxygen by mask or nasal cannula. The client is experiencing respiratory acidosis due to inadequate ventilation and oxygenation during the seizure. Providing oxygen will help improve oxygenation and correct the respiratory acidosis. This is the priority to address the immediate physiological need.
Choice B is incorrect as applying a paper bag can lead to rebreathing of carbon dioxide, worsening the respiratory acidosis. Choice C is incorrect as sodium bicarbonate is not indicated in this situation and can potentially worsen the acid-base imbalance. Choice D is incorrect as administering glucose and insulin is not relevant to correcting the respiratory acidosis.
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You are making initial shift assessments on your patients. While assessing one patients peripheral IV site, you note edema around the insertion site. How should you document this complication related to IV therapy?
- A. Air emboli
- B. Phlebitis
- C. Infiltration
- D. Fluid overload
Correct Answer: C
Rationale: Correct Answer: C - Infiltration
Rationale:
1. Infiltration occurs when IV fluid leaks into surrounding tissues, causing edema.
2. Documenting infiltration is important for appropriate management.
3. Air emboli, phlebitis, and fluid overload are unrelated to edema around IV site.
Summary of Incorrect Choices:
A. Air emboli: This is a serious condition caused by air entering the bloodstream, not related to edema.
B. Phlebitis: Inflammation of the vein, usually presenting with redness and pain, not edema.
D. Fluid overload: Excess fluid volume in the body, leading to symptoms like shortness of breath, not edema.
You are the surgical nurse caring for a 65-year-old female patient who is postoperative day 1 following a
thyroidectomy. During your shift assessment, the patient complains of tingling in her lips and fingers. She tells you that
she has an intermittent spasm in her wrist and hand and she exhibits increased muscle tone. What electrolyte imbalance
should you first suspect?
- A. Hypophosphatemia
- B. Hypocalcemia
- C. Hypermagnesemia
- D. Hyperkalemia
Correct Answer: B
Rationale: The correct answer is B: Hypocalcemia. Following a thyroidectomy, there is a risk of damaging the parathyroid glands, leading to hypocalcemia. Symptoms such as tingling in lips and fingers, muscle spasms, and increased muscle tone are classic signs of hypocalcemia. The initial concern should be hypocalcemia due to its potential to cause serious complications such as tetany and laryngospasm. Options A, C, and D are incorrect as they do not align with the symptoms described. Hypophosphatemia may present with weakness and respiratory failure, hypermagnesemia with hypotension and respiratory depression, and hyperkalemia with muscle weakness and cardiac arrhythmias.
A nurse is caring for a client who is experiencing moderate metabolic alkalosis. Which action should the nurse take?
- A. Monitor daily hemoglobin and hematocrit values.
- B. Administer furosemide (Lasix) intravenously.
- C. Encourage the client to take deep breaths.
- D. Teach the client fall prevention measures.
Correct Answer: D
Rationale: The correct answer is D: Teach the client fall prevention measures. In metabolic alkalosis, the client may experience muscle weakness and confusion, increasing the risk of falls. Teaching fall prevention measures is essential to ensure the client's safety. Monitoring hemoglobin and hematocrit values (A) is not directly related to managing metabolic alkalosis. Administering furosemide (B) is not appropriate for metabolic alkalosis. Encouraging deep breaths (C) may not address the underlying cause of the alkalosis.
A client with a serum potassium of 7.5 mEq/L and cardiovascular changes needs immediate intervention. Which prescription should the nurse implement first?
- A. Prepare to administer sodium polystyrene sulfate (Kayexalate) 15 g by mouth.
- B. Provide a heart-healthy, low-potassium diet.
- C. Prepare to administer dextrose 20% and 10 units of regular insulin IV push.
- D. Prepare the client for hemodialysis treatment.
Correct Answer: C
Rationale: The correct answer is C. The client's high serum potassium level of 7.5 mEq/L can lead to serious cardiovascular complications like arrhythmias. The immediate priority is to lower potassium levels rapidly to prevent cardiac arrest. Administering dextrose 20% and regular insulin IV push helps shift potassium from extracellular to intracellular space, lowering serum levels quickly. Option A (Kayexalate) is not as rapid as insulin therapy. Option B (low-potassium diet) is not immediate. Option D (hemodialysis) is effective but not as quick as insulin therapy for urgent potassium reduction.
. A nurse is planning care for a nephrology patient with a new nursing graduate. The nurse states, A patient in
renal failure partially loses the ability to regulate changes in pH. What is the cause of this partial inability?
- A. The kidneys regulate and reabsorb carbonic acid to change and maintain pH.
- B. The kidneys buffer acids through electrolyte changes
- C. The kidneys regenerate and reabsorb bicarbonate to maintain a stable pH.
- D. The kidneys combine carbonic acid and bicarbonate to maintain a stable pH.
Correct Answer: C
Rationale: Rationale:
C is correct because in renal failure, the kidneys lose the ability to regenerate and reabsorb bicarbonate, which is essential for maintaining a stable pH level in the body. B is incorrect because the kidneys primarily regulate pH by controlling bicarbonate levels, not through electrolyte changes. A is incorrect because the kidneys do not regulate carbonic acid in the same way. D is incorrect as it does not accurately describe the process of pH regulation in the kidneys.