HESI Medical Surgical Specialty Exam Related

Review HESI Medical Surgical Specialty Exam related questions and content

When a patient is receiving high doses of a cephalosporin, which laboratory values will this patient's nurse monitor closely?

  • A. Blood urea nitrogen (BUN), serum creatinine, and liver function tests
  • B. Complete blood count and electrolytes
  • C. Serum calcium and magnesium
  • D. Serum glucose and lipids
Correct Answer: A

Rationale: When a patient is receiving high doses of a cephalosporin, such as cefazolin, the nurse should closely monitor laboratory values that indicate renal and hepatic function. This includes checking the Blood Urea Nitrogen (BUN) and serum creatinine levels to assess kidney function. Additionally, monitoring liver function tests, such as AST, ALT, ALP, LDH, and bilirubin, is essential as cephalosporins can affect liver enzymes. Therefore, options B, C, and D are incorrect as they do not specifically address the parameters that are most pertinent when administering high doses of cephalosporins.