Nokea
The nurse is caring for a patient who was admitted 10 days previously with acute kidney injury (AKI) caused by dehydration. Which of the following findings is most important for the nurse to report to the health care provider?
- A. The blood urea nitrogen (BUN) level is 23.1 mmol/L.
- B. The creatinine level is 186 mcmol/L.
- C. Urine output over an 8-hour period is 2500 mL.
- D. The glomerular filtration rate is -3 mL/minute/1.73 m^2.
Correct Answer: C
Rationale: The high urine output indicates a need to increase fluid intake to prevent hypovolemia. The other information is typical of AKI and will not require a change in therapy.
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The nurse is caring for a patient with hypertension and stage 2 chronic kidney disease (CKD) who is prescribed ramipril. Which of the following laboratory tests should the nurse assess before administration of the medication?
- A. Glucose
- B. Potassium
- C. Creatinine
- D. Phosphate
Correct Answer: B
Rationale: Angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitors are frequently used in patients with CKD because they delay the progression of the CKD, but they cause potassium retention. Therefore, careful monitoring of potassium levels is needed in patients who are at risk for hyperkalemia. The other laboratory values would also be monitored in patients with CKD but would not affect whether the ramipril was given or not.
The nurse is caring for a patient with chronic kidney disease (CKD) who is prescribed calcium carbonate. Which of the following parameters should the nurse assess in order to determine the effectiveness of the treatment?
- A. Blood pressure
- B. Phosphate level
- C. Neurological status
- D. Creatinine clearance
Correct Answer: B
Rationale: Calcium carbonate is prescribed to bind phosphorus and prevent mineral and bone disease in patients with CKD. The other data will not be helpful in evaluating the effectiveness of calcium carbonate.
The nurse is caring for a patient with acute kidney injury (AKI) who has an arterial blood pH of 7.30 Which of the following assessment findings should the nurse anticipate?
- A. Vasodilation
- B. Poor skin turgor
- C. Bounding pulses
- D. Rapid respirations
Correct Answer: D
Rationale: Patients with metabolic acidosis caused by AKI may have Kussmaul's respirations as the lungs try to regulate carbon dioxide. Bounding pulses and vasodilation are not associated with metabolic acidosis. Because the patient is likely to have fluid retention, poor skin turgor would not be a finding in AKI.
The nurse is caring for a patient who is receiving hemodialysis and has symptoms of nausea, vomiting, and sudden onset of confusion. Which of the following actions is priority?
- A. Infuse a hypotonic solution.
- B. Increase the rate of the dialysis.
- C. Administer an antiemetic medication.
- D. Stop the dialysis solution.
Correct Answer: D
Rationale: The patient's symptoms suggest disequilibrium syndrome, which is a rare complication of modern HD and develops as a result of very rapid changes in the composition of the extracellular fluid. Urea, sodium, and other solutes are removed more rapidly from the blood than from the cerebrospinal fluid and the brain. This creates a high osmotic gradient in the brain resulting in the shift of fluid into the brain, causing cerebral edema. Manifestations include nausea, vomiting, confusion, restlessness, headaches, twitching and jerking, and seizures. Treatment consists of slowing or stopping dialysis and infusing hypertonic saline solution, albumin, or mannitol to draw fluid from the brain cells back into the systemic circulation.
After noting lengthening QRS intervals in a patient with acute kidney injury (AKI), which of the following actions should the nurse take first?
- A. Document the QRS interval.
- B. Notify the patient's health care provider.
- C. Look at the patient's current blood urea nitrogen (BUN) and creatinine levels.
- D. Check the patient's most recent blood potassium level.
Correct Answer: D
Rationale: The increasing QRS interval is suggestive of hyperkalemia, so the nurse should check the most recent potassium and then notify the patient's health care provider. The BUN and creatinine will be elevated in a patient with AKI, but they would not directly affect the electrocardiogram (ECG). Documentation of the QRS interval also is appropriate, but interventions to decrease the potassium level are needed to prevent life-threatening bradycardia.