Nursing Process NCLEX Questions Related

Review Nursing Process NCLEX Questions related questions and content

Which of the following intravenous solutions is hypotonic?

  • A. Normal saline
  • B. Ringer’s lactate
  • C. 0.45% saline
  • D. 5% dextrose in normal saline  A1 PASSERS TRAINING, RESEARCH, REVIEW & DEVELOPMENT COMPANY MEDICAL SURGICAL NURSING SET F
Correct Answer: C

Rationale: The correct answer is C: 0.45% saline. This solution is hypotonic because it has a lower osmolarity compared to the intracellular fluid. It contains fewer solutes than the cells, causing water to move into the cells by osmosis, potentially causing them to swell.

Normal saline (A) and Ringer's lactate (B) are isotonic solutions, meaning they have a similar osmolarity to the intracellular fluid and do not cause significant water shifts.

5% dextrose in normal saline (D) is a hypertonic solution, containing more solutes than the cells, leading to water movement out of the cells.