The nurse is reviewing the laboratory results for a client who is receiving torsemide 5 mg orally daily. What value should indicate to the nurse that the client might be experiencing an adverse effect of the medication?
- A. A chloride level of 98 mEq/L (98 mmol/L)
- B. A sodium level of 135 mEq/L (135 mmol/L)
- C. A potassium level of 3.1 mEq/L (3.1 mmol/L)
- D. A blood urea nitrogen (BUN) level of 15 mg/dL (5.4 mmol/L)
Correct Answer: C
Rationale: Torsemide is a loop diuretic. The medication can produce acute, profound water loss; volume and electrolyte depletion; dehydration; decreased blood volume; and circulatory collapse. Option 3 is the only option that indicates electrolyte depletion because the normal potassium level is 3.5 to 5.0 mEq/L (3.5 to 5.0 mmol/L). The normal chloride level is 98 to 107 mEq/L (98 to 107 mmol/L). The normal sodium level is 135 to 145 mEq/L (135 to 145 mmol/L). The normal BUN level ranges from 10 to 20 mg/dL (3.6 to 7.1 mmol/L).
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The nurse inserted a nasogastric (NG) tube to the level of the oropharynx and has repositioned the client's head in a flexed-forward position. The client has been asked to begin swallowing, but as the nurse starts to slowly advance the NG tube with each swallow, the client begins to gag. Which action if taken by the nurse at this point would indicate a need for further instruction regarding the insertion of an NG tube?
- A. Pulling the tube back slightly
- B. Instructing the client to breathe slowly
- C. Continuing to advance the tube to the desired distance
- D. Checking the back of the pharynx using a tongue blade and flashlight
Correct Answer: C
Rationale: As the NG tube is passed through the oropharynx, the gag reflex is stimulated, which may cause gagging. Instead of passing through to the esophagus, the NG tube may coil around itself in the oropharynx, or it may enter the larynx and obstruct the airway. Because the tube may enter the larynx, advancing the tube may position it in the trachea. The nurse should check the back of the pharynx using a tongue blade and flashlight to check for coiling and then pull the tube back slightly to prevent entrance into the larynx. Slow breathing helps the client relax to reduce the gag response.
The nurse is providing care for a client who has just experienced a liver biopsy performed at the bedside. Which position should the nurse place the client in after the biopsy?
- A. Supine with the head elevated on one pillow
- B. Semi-Fowler's with two pillows under the legs
- C. Left side-lying with a small pillow under the puncture site
- D. Right side-lying with a folded towel under the puncture site
Correct Answer: D
Rationale: The liver is located on the right side of the body. After a liver biopsy, the nurse positions the client on the right side with a small pillow or folded towel under the puncture site for 2 hours. This position compresses the liver against the abdominal wall at the biopsy site to tamponade bleeding from the puncture site.
The nurse is caring for a client who is scheduled to have a liver biopsy. Before the procedure, it is important for the nurse to assess which parameter to assure client safety?
- A. Tolerance for pain
- B. Allergy to iodine or shellfish
- C. History of nausea and vomiting
- D. Ability to lie still and hold the breath
Correct Answer: D
Rationale: A liver biopsy is an invasive procedure that involves inserting a needle into the liver to obtain a tissue sample. To ensure client safety, the nurse must assess the client's ability to lie still and hold their breath during the procedure, as movement or breathing can cause complications such as bleeding or injury to surrounding organs. Assessing pain tolerance, allergies to iodine or shellfish, or a history of nausea and vomiting is not directly related to the safety of the liver biopsy procedure.
The nurse plans care for a client diagnosed with end-stage renal disease (ESRD). Which assessment findings does the nurse expect to find documented in the client's medical record? Select all that apply.
- A. Edema
- B. Anemia
- C. Polyuria
- D. Bradycardia
- E. Hypotension
- F. Osteoporosis
Correct Answer: A,B
Rationale: The manifestations of ESRD are the result of impaired kidney function. Two functions of the kidney are maintenance of water balance in the body and the secretion of erythropoietin, which stimulates red blood cell formation in bone marrow. Impairment of these functions results in edema and anemia. Kidney failure results in decreased urine production and increased blood pressure. Tachycardia is a result of increased fluid load on the heart. Osteoporosis is not a common finding with ESRD.
The nurse admits a client who is in sickle cell crisis. The nurse should prepare for which intervention as a priority in the management of the client?
- A. Pain management with an opioid
- B. Intravenous fluid therapy
- C. Oxygen administration
- D. Blood transfusion
Correct Answer: C
Rationale: The priority nursing intervention for a client in sickle cell crisis is to administer supplemental oxygen because the client is hypoxemic, and as a result, the red blood cells change to the sickle shape. In addition, oxygen is the priority because airway and breathing are more important than circulatory needs. The nurse also plans for fluid therapy to promote hydration and reverse the agglutination of sickled cells, opioid analgesics for relief from severe pain, and blood transfusions (rather than iron administration) to increase the blood's oxygen-carrying capacity.