Nursing Elites

1. A 73-year-old man who slipped on a small carpet in his home and fell on his hip is alert and oriented; PERRLA (pupils equally round and reactive to light and accommodation) is intact, and he has come by ambulance to the emergency department (ED). Heart rate elevated, he is anxious and thirsty. A Foley catheter is in place and 40mL of urine is present. The nurse's most likely explanation for the urine output is:

• A. The man urinated prior to his arrival in the ED and will probably not need to have the Foley catheter kept in place.
• B. The man has a brain injury, lacks ADH, and needs vasopressin.
• C. The man is in heart failure and is releasing atrial natriuretic peptide, which results in decreased urine output.
• D. He is having a sympathetic reaction, which has stimulated the renin-angiotensin-aldosterone system that results in diminished urine output.

Correct answer: D

Rationale: Renin is released by the juxtaglomerular cells of the kidneys in response to decreased renal perfusion. Angiotensin-converting enzyme converts angiotensin I to angiotensin II. Angiotensin II, with its vasoconstrictor properties, increases arterial perfusion pressure and stimulates thirst. As the sympathetic nervous system is stimulated, aldosterone is released in response to an increased release of renin, which decreases urine production. Based on the nursing assessment and mechanism of injury, this is the most likely cause of the lower urine output. Choices A, B, and C are incorrect because there is no indication of urination prior to arrival, brain injury, lack of ADH, or heart failure present in the scenario provided. The symptoms and context described point more towards a physiological response related to the sympathetic nervous system and the renin-angiotensin-aldosterone system rather than the other conditions mentioned.

2. You are performing an admission assessment on an older adult patient newly admitted for end-stage liver disease. What principle should guide your assessment of the patients skin turgor?

• A. Overhydration is common among healthy older adults.
• B. Dehydration causes the skin to appear spongy
• C. Inelastic skin turgor is a normal part of aging
• D. Skin turgor cannot be assessed in patients over 70.

Correct answer: C

Rationale:

3. . You are caring for a patient who has a diagnosis of syndrome of inappropriate antidiuretic hormone secretion (SIADH). Your patients plan of care includes assessment of specific gravity every 4 hours. The results of this test will allow the nurse to as

• A. Nutritional status
• B. Potassium balance
• C. Calcium balance
• D. Fluid volume status

Correct answer: D

Rationale:

4. A nurse in the neurologic ICU has orders to infuse a hypertonic solution into a patient with increased intracranial pressure. This solution will increase the number of dissolved particles in the patient's blood, creating pressure for fluids in the tissues to shift into the capillaries and increase the blood volume. This process is best described as which of the following?

• A. Hydrostatic pressure
• B. Osmosis and osmolality
• C. Diffusion
• D. Active transport

Correct answer: B

Rationale: The correct answer is B: Osmosis and osmolality. Osmosis is the movement of fluid from a region of low solute concentration to a region of high solute concentration across a semipermeable membrane. In this case, the hypertonic solution increases the number of dissolved particles in the blood, causing fluids to shift into the capillaries due to the osmotic pressure gradient. Osmolality refers to the concentration of solutes in a solution. Hydrostatic pressure refers to changes in water or volume related to water pressure, not the movement of fluids due to solute concentration differences. Diffusion is the movement of solutes from an area of greater concentration to lesser concentration; in an intact vascular system, solutes are unable to move freely, so diffusion does not play a significant role in this scenario. Active transport involves the movement of molecules against the concentration gradient with the use of energy, typically at the cellular level, and is not related to the vascular volume changes described in the question.

5. What is the main water-holding force in the blood capillaries?

• A. Capillary blood pressure
• B. Sodium in the blood plasma
• C. Protein in the blood plasma
• D. Chloride in the blood plasma

Correct answer: C

Rationale: The correct answer is C: Protein in the blood plasma. Plasma proteins, especially albumin, create oncotic pressure, which is the main force responsible for holding water within the blood capillaries. Capillary blood pressure (Choice A) is involved in pushing blood through the capillaries, while sodium and chloride in the blood plasma (Choices B and D) are electrolytes and do not play a significant role in the water-holding force within capillaries.

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