Nokea
A patient presents to the emergency department with suspected thyroid storm. The nurse should be alert to which of the following cardiac rhythms while providing care to this patient?
- A. Atrial fibrillation
- B. Idioventricular rhythm
- C. Junctional rhythm
- D. Sinus bradycardia
Correct Answer: A
Rationale: The correct answer is A: Atrial fibrillation. In thyroid storm, excess thyroid hormone levels can lead to increased sympathetic activity, causing tachycardia and arrhythmias like atrial fibrillation. Atrial fibrillation is common in thyroid storm due to the hypermetabolic state and increased risk of atrial arrhythmias. Other choices are incorrect: B (Idioventricular rhythm) is not typically associated with thyroid storm, C (Junctional rhythm) is less likely since atrial arrhythmias are more common, and D (Sinus bradycardia) is unlikely due to the hypermetabolic state causing tachycardia.
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The patient is admitted with acute kidney injury from a postrenal cause. Acceptable treatments for that diagnosis include: (Select all that apply.)
- A. bladder catheterization.
- B. increasing fluid volume intake.
- C. ureteral stenting.
- D. placement of nephrostomy tubes.
Correct Answer: A
Rationale: The correct answer is A. Bladder catheterization helps relieve urinary obstruction, a common postrenal cause of acute kidney injury. It allows urine to drain freely from the bladder.
- B: Increasing fluid volume intake may worsen the condition by increasing the pressure on the obstructed kidneys.
- C: Ureteral stenting is used for intrarenal causes, not postrenal causes.
- D: Placement of nephrostomy tubes bypasses the obstruction but is usually reserved for more severe cases.
A patient with a history of type 1 diabetes and an eating disorder is found unconscious. In the emergency department, the following lab values are obtained: Glucose: 648 mg/dL pH: 88 P CO : 20 mm Hg a 2 P O : 95 mm Hg a 2 HCO ¯: undetectable Anion gap: >31 Na+: 127 mEq/L K+: 5 mEq/L Creatinine: 8 mg/dL After the patient’s airway and ventilation have been established, the next priority for this patient is:
- A. administration of a 1-L normal saline fluid bolus.
- B. administration of 0.1 unit of regular insulin IV push followed by an insulin infusion.
- C. administration of 20 mEq KCl in 100 mL.
- D. IV push administration of 1 amp of sodium bicarbonate.
Correct Answer: A
Rationale: The correct answer is A: administration of a 1-L normal saline fluid bolus. In this scenario, the patient is likely experiencing diabetic ketoacidosis (DKA) due to the extremely high glucose levels, low bicarbonate, and anion gap metabolic acidosis. The priority is to correct the dehydration and electrolyte imbalances through fluid resuscitation with normal saline to improve perfusion and reverse the metabolic derangements. Options B, C, and D do not address the immediate need for volume resuscitation and correction of dehydration. Administering insulin or potassium without first addressing the fluid deficit could lead to further complications. Sodium bicarbonate is not recommended in DKA as it can worsen acidosis and has not been shown to improve outcomes.
Acute kidney injury from postrenal etiology is caused by
- A. obstruction of the flow of urine.
- B. conditions that interfere with renal perfusion.
- C. hypovolemia or decreased cardiac output.
- D. conditions that act directly on functioning kidney tissue
Correct Answer: A
Rationale: The correct answer is A because acute kidney injury from postrenal etiology is caused by obstruction of the flow of urine, leading to back pressure and damage to the kidneys. Choices B and C relate to prerenal causes, affecting renal perfusion and volume status. Choice D refers to intrinsic renal causes, directly affecting kidney tissue function, not postrenal obstruction. Therefore, A is correct due to the nature of postrenal etiology.
The patient’s potassium level is 0 mEq/L. Besides dialysis, which of the following actually reduces plasma potassium levels and total body potassium content safely in a patient with renal dysfunction?
- A. Sodium polystyrene sulfonate
- B. Sodium polystyrene sulfonate with sorbitol
- C. Regular insulin
- D. Calcium gluconate
Correct Answer: A
Rationale: The correct answer is A: Sodium polystyrene sulfonate. It works by exchanging sodium ions for potassium ions in the colon, leading to potassium excretion. A is the safest option without the risk of causing hypernatremia or intestinal necrosis like B. Regular insulin (C) may cause hypoglycemia and is not as effective as A in reducing potassium levels. Calcium gluconate (D) does not directly reduce potassium levels and is used for treating hyperkalemia-related cardiac toxicity.
Peritoneal dialysis is different from hemodialysis in that peritoneal dialysis
- A. is more frequently used for acute kidney injury.
- B. uses the patient’s own semipermeable membrane (peritoneal membrane).
- C. is not useful in cases of drug overdose or electrolyte imbalance.
- D. is not indicated in cases of water intoxication.
Correct Answer: B
Rationale: The correct answer is B because peritoneal dialysis uses the patient's own semipermeable membrane, the peritoneal membrane, to filter waste and excess fluid from the blood. This membrane allows for the exchange of fluids and solutes, making it an effective method for dialysis.
A is incorrect because peritoneal dialysis can be used for acute kidney injury.
C is incorrect as peritoneal dialysis can address drug overdose and electrolyte imbalance by removing toxins and balancing electrolytes.
D is incorrect as peritoneal dialysis can be used in cases of water intoxication by helping to remove excess fluid from the body.