Nursing Elites

1. A client at risk for mild hypernatremia is being taught by a nurse. Which statement should the nurse include in this client's teaching?

• A. Weigh yourself every morning and every night
• B. Check your radial pulse twice a day
• C. Read food labels to determine sodium content
• D. Bake or grill the meat rather than frying it

Correct answer: C

Rationale: The correct answer is to 'Read food labels to determine sodium content.' This is important for a client at risk for mild hypernatremia because monitoring sodium intake is crucial in managing this condition. Choice A is not directly related to managing hypernatremia. Choice B focuses on pulse monitoring, which is not specific to managing sodium levels. Choice D addresses cooking methods, which can be beneficial but is not as directly related to sodium intake monitoring as reading food labels.

2. The nurse is admitting a patient with a suspected fluid imbalance. The most sensitive indicator of body fluid balance is:

• A. Daily weight
• B. Serum sodium levels
• C. Measured intake and output
• D. Blood pressure

Correct answer: A

Rationale: Daily weight is the most sensitive indicator of body fluid balance because it can show trends over time, helping in assessing the effectiveness of interventions and medications. While serum sodium levels provide objective data on electrolyte balance, they may not accurately reflect fluid balance, especially if a patient is dehydrated. Measured intake and output are crucial for assessing fluid balance, but it can be challenging to match the two due to various ways fluid is lost from the body. Blood pressure and other vital signs may not always be reliable indicators of fluid balance as they can be influenced by other factors beyond fluid status.

3. Which of the following might the nurse assess in a patient diagnosed with hypermagnesemia?

• A. Diminished deep tendon reflexes
• B. Tachycardia
• C. Cool clammy skin
• D. Increased serum magnesium

Correct answer: A

Rationale: The correct answer is A: Diminished deep tendon reflexes. In a patient with hypermagnesemia, the nurse would assess for diminished deep tendon reflexes. Hypermagnesemia can lead to neuromuscular depression, causing a decrease in deep tendon reflexes. Tachycardia (choice B) is more commonly associated with hypomagnesemia. Cool clammy skin (choice C) is not typically a direct symptom of hypermagnesemia. While hypermagnesemia does involve increased serum magnesium levels (choice D), assessing serum levels is a laboratory test and not a clinical assessment like checking deep tendon reflexes.

4. A gerontologic nurse is teaching students about the high incidence and prevalence of dehydration in older adults. What factors contribute to this phenomenon? Select all that do not apply.

• A. Decreased kidney mass
• B. Decreased renal blood flow
• C. Decreased excretion of potassium
• D. Increased conservation of sodium

Correct answer: D

Rationale:

5. A nurse admitting a patient with a history of emphysema reviews her past lab reports and notes that the patient's PaCO2 has been 56 to 64 mmHg. The nurse will be cautious administering oxygen because:

• A. The patient's calcium will rise dramatically due to pituitary stimulation.
• B. The oxygen will increase the patient's intracranial pressure and create confusion.
• C. The oxygen may cause the patient to hyperventilate and become acidotic.
• D. Using oxygen may result in the patient developing carbon dioxide narcosis and hypoxemia.

Correct answer: D

Rationale: When PaCO2 chronically exceeds 50 mm Hg, it creates insensitivity to CO2 in the respiratory medulla, and the use of oxygen may result in the patient developing carbon dioxide narcosis and hypoxemia. Choice A is incorrect because administering oxygen does not lead to a dramatic rise in calcium due to pituitary stimulation. Choice B is incorrect because administering oxygen does not directly increase intracranial pressure or create confusion. Choice C is incorrect because administering oxygen to a patient with emphysema and high PaCO2 levels is more likely to cause respiratory depression than hyperventilation and acidosis.

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