A patient with chronic kidney disease is completing an exchange during peritoneal dialysis. The nurse observes that the peritoneal fluid is draining slowly and that the patients abdomen is increasing in girth. What is the nurses most appropriate action?
- A. Advance the catheter 2 to 4 cm further into the peritoneal cavity.
- B. Reposition the patient to facilitate drainage.
- C. Aspirate from the catheter using a 60-mL syringe.
- D. Infuse 50 mL of additional dialysate.
Correct Answer: B
Rationale: If the peritoneal fluid does not drain properly, the nurse can facilitate drainage by turning the patient from side to side or raising the head of the bed. The catheter should never be pushed further into the peritoneal cavity. It would be unsafe to aspirate or to infuse more dialysate.
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The nurse is caring for a patient who has returned to the postsurgical suite after post-anesthetic recovery from a nephrectomy. The nurses most recent hourly assessment reveals a significant drop in level of consciousness and BP as well as scant urine output over the past hour. What is the nurses best response?
- A. Assess the patient for signs of bleeding and inform the physician.
- B. Monitor the patients vital signs every 15 minutes for the next hour.
- C. Reposition the patient and reassess vital signs.
- D. Palpate the patients flanks for pain and inform the physician.
Correct Answer: A
Rationale: Bleeding may be suspected when the patient experiences fatigue and when urine output is less than 30 mL/h. The physician must be made aware of this finding promptly. Palpating the patients flanks would cause intense pain that is of no benefit to assessment.
A patient on the critical care unit is postoperative day 1 following kidney transplantation from a living donor. The nurses most recent assessments indicate that the patient is producing copious quantities of dilute urine. What is the nurses most appropriate response?
- A. Assess the patient for further signs or symptoms of rejection.
- B. Recognize this as an expected finding.
- C. Inform the primary care provider of this finding.
- D. Administer exogenous antidiuretic hormone as ordered.
Correct Answer: B
Rationale: A kidney from a living donor related to the patient usually begins to function immediately after surgery and may produce large quantities of dilute urine. This is not suggestive of rejection and treatment is not warranted. There is no obvious need to report this finding.
The nurse is working on the renal transplant unit. To reduce the risk of infection in a patient with a transplanted kidney, it is imperative for the nurse to do what?
- A. Wash hands carefully and frequently.
- B. Ensure immediate function of the donated kidney.
- C. Instruct the patient to wear a face mask.
- D. Bar visitors from the patients room.
Correct Answer: A
Rationale: The nurse ensures that the patient is protected from exposure to infection by hospital staff, visitors, and other patients with active infections. Careful handwashing is imperative; face masks may be worn by hospital staff and visitors to reduce the risk for transmitting infectious agents while the patient is receiving high doses of immunosuppressants. Visitors may be limited, but are not normally barred outright. Ensuring kidney function is vital, but does not prevent infection.
A patient admitted with nephrotic syndrome is being cared for on the medical unit. When writing this patients care plan, based on the major clinical manifestation of nephrotic syndrome, what nursing diagnosis should the nurse include?
- A. Constipation related to immobility
- B. Risk for injury related to altered thought processes
- C. Hyperthermia related to the inflammatory process
- D. Excess fluid volume related to generalized edema
Correct Answer: D
Rationale: The major clinical manifestation of nephrotic syndrome is edema, so the appropriate nursing diagnosis is Excess fluid volume related to generalized edema. Edema is usually soft, pitting, and commonly occurs around the eyes, in dependent areas, and in the abdomen.
The nurse has identified the nursing diagnosis of risk for infection in a patient who undergoes peritoneal dialysis. What nursing action best addresses this risk?
- A. Maintain aseptic technique when administering dialysate.
- B. Wash the skin surrounding the catheter site with soap and water prior to each exchange.
- C. Add antibiotics to the dialysate as ordered.
- D. Administer prophylactic antibiotics by mouth or IV as ordered.
Correct Answer: A
Rationale: Aseptic technique is used to prevent peritonitis and other infectious complications of peritoneal dialysis. It is not necessary to cleanse the skin with soap and water prior to each exchange. Antibiotics may be added to dialysate to treat infection, but they are not used to prevent infection.
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