Brunner & Suddarth's Textbook of Medical-Surgical Nursing 14e (Hinkle 2017) - Adult Health and Nutritional Assessment Related

Review Brunner & Suddarth's Textbook of Medical-Surgical Nursing 14e (Hinkle 2017) - Adult Health and Nutritional Assessment related questions and content

An older adult's unexplained weight loss of about 15 pounds over the past 3 months has prompted a thorough diagnostic workup. What is the nurse's rationale for prioritizing biochemical assessment when appraising a person's nutritional status?

  • A. It identifies abnormalities in the chemical structure of nutrients.
  • B. It predicts abnormal utilization of nutrients.
  • C. It reflects the tissue level of a given nutrient.
  • D. It predicts metabolic abnormalities in nutritional intake.
Correct Answer: C

Rationale: Biochemical assessment reflects both the tissue level of a given nutrient and any abnormality of metabolism in the utilization of nutrients. It does not focus on abnormalities in the chemical structure of nutrients. Biochemical assessment is not predictive.