fluid and electrolytes ati Fluid and Electrolytes ATI - Nursing Elites
Logo

Nursing Elites

ATI RN

Fluid and Electrolytes ATI

1. A patient with diabetes insipidus is admitted to the intensive care unit after a motor vehicle accident that resulted in head trauma and damage to the pituitary gland. Diabetes insipidus can occur when there is a decreased production of which of the following?

Correct answer: A

Rationale: The correct answer is A: ADH. Diabetes insipidus is characterized by a deficiency in antidiuretic hormone (ADH), leading to excessive urine output and thirst. In this scenario, the head trauma and damage to the pituitary gland can result in decreased production or release of ADH. Estrogen (Choice B) is not directly related to diabetes insipidus. Aldosterone (Choice C) is a hormone that regulates sodium and potassium levels, not water balance like ADH. Renin (Choice D) is an enzyme involved in the regulation of blood pressure and fluid balance but not directly related to diabetes insipidus.

2. A nurse sees a variety of patients in the community health clinic. Which of the following patients would be at the greatest risk of dehydration?

Correct answer: B

Rationale: The correct answer is B. Infants are particularly vulnerable to dehydration due to diarrhea because they have a higher fluid turnover and less reserve. Option A, the 18-year-old basketball player with a stress fracture, is less likely to be at the greatest risk of dehydration compared to an infant with diarrhea. Option C, the 45-year-old with stomach flu, may experience dehydration but is not at the same level of risk as an infant with diarrhea. Option D, the elderly patient living alone, could be at risk of dehydration, but infants with diarrhea are at the greatest risk due to their unique physiological characteristics.

3. The nurse is assessing the patient for the presence of a Chvostek's sign. What electrolyte imbalance does a positive Chvostek's sign indicate?

Correct answer: C

Rationale: Chvostek's sign is characterized by a brief contraction of the upper lip, nose, or side of the face and is indicative of hypocalcemia, making choice C the correct answer. Hypomagnesemia (choice B) is associated with Trousseau's sign, not Chvostek's sign. Hypermagnesemia (choice A) is not related to Chvostek's sign. Hyperkalemia (choice D) is not typically associated with Chvostek's sign; instead, it may present with muscle weakness and cardiac arrhythmias.

4. The nurse is caring for a patient who is diaphoretic from a fever. The amount of sodium excreted in the urine will:

Correct answer: A

Rationale: Increased sweating (diaphoresis) causes the loss of sodium and other electrolytes from the body. As a result, the body tries to conserve sodium, leading to a decrease in the amount of sodium excreted in the urine. Choice B is incorrect because increased sweating results in sodium loss, not retention. Choice C is incorrect because with increased sweating, there is a need to conserve sodium, leading to a decrease in its excretion. Choice D is incorrect as there is a clear physiological response to sweating that results in a more consistent decrease in sodium excretion.

5. The nurse assessing skin turgor in an elderly patient should remember that:

Correct answer: C

Rationale: Inelastic skin turgor is a normal part of aging. Dehydration, not overhydration, causes inelastic skin with tenting. Overhydration, not dehydration, causes the skin to appear edematous and spongy. Normal skin turgor is dry and firm. Choice A is incorrect because overhydration does not cause the skin to tent; it is dehydration that leads to tenting. Choice B is incorrect because dehydration, not overhydration, causes the skin to appear edematous and spongy. Choice D is incorrect because normal skin turgor is dry and firm, not moist and boggy.

Similar Questions

The patient asks the nurse if he will die if air bubbles get into the IV tubing. What is the nurse's best response?
The healthcare provider is evaluating a patient's laboratory results. Based on the laboratory findings, what results will cause the release of an antidiuretic hormone (ADH)?
Your patient has the following arterial blood gas results: pH 7.26, PaCO2 28, HCO3 11 mEq/L. How would the nurse interpret the results?
Your patient has alcoholism, and you may suspect during your assessment that his serum magnesium is low. What will the nurse potentially expect to assess related to hypomagnesemia?
A nurse is visiting an 84-year-old woman living at home and recovering from hip surgery. The woman seems confused and has poor skin turgor, and she states that 'she stops drinking water early in the day because it is too difficult to get up during the night to go to the bathroom.' The nurse explains to the woman that:
ATI TEAS 7 Exam Overview

Access More Features

ATI RN Basic
$69.99/ 30 days

  • 50,000 Questions with answers
  • All ATI courses Coverage
  • 30 days access @ $69.99

ATI RN Premium
$149.99/ 90 days

  • 50,000 Questions with answers
  • All ATI courses Coverage
  • 30 days access @ $149.99