ATI RN
Fluid and Electrolytes ATI
1. A nurse in the medical-surgical unit has a newly admitted patient who is oliguric; the acute care nurse practitioner orders a fluid challenge of 100 to 200 mL of normal saline solution over 15 minutes. The nurse is aware this intervention will help:
- A. Distinguish hyponatremia from hypernatremia
- B. Evaluate pituitary gland function
- C. Distinguish reduced renal blood flow from decreased renal function
- D. Provide an effective treatment for hypertension-induced oliguria
Correct answer: C
Rationale: Administering a fluid challenge in oliguric patients helps to distinguish reduced renal blood flow from decreased renal function. This intervention aids in determining whether the oliguria is due to reduced renal blood flow (such as in fluid volume deficit or prerenal azotemia) or decreased renal function (such as in acute tubular necrosis). The response to this challenge can indicate the underlying cause. Choices A, B, and D are incorrect as they do not align with the purpose of a fluid challenge in oliguric patients.
2. The nurse is administering a beta blocker to a client with a heart rate of 50 bpm. What is the priority action?
- A. Hold the beta blocker and notify the healthcare provider.
- B. Administer the beta blocker as ordered.
- C. Decrease the dose of the beta blocker.
- D. Monitor the client’s heart rate and reassess in 30 minutes.
Correct answer: A
Rationale: The correct action is to hold the beta blocker and notify the healthcare provider. A heart rate of 50 bpm is already low, and beta blockers can further decrease the heart rate, potentially causing adverse effects like bradycardia or heart block. Administering the beta blocker as ordered (Choice B) can exacerbate the low heart rate. Decreasing the dose of the beta blocker (Choice C) may not be sufficient to address the potential harm. Monitoring the client’s heart rate and reassessing in 30 minutes (Choice D) may delay necessary interventions if the heart rate drops further. Therefore, the priority is to hold the medication and seek guidance from the healthcare provider.
3. You are to measure the client's initial blood pressure reading by doing all of the following EXCEPT:
- A. Take the blood pressure reading on both arms for comparison
- B. Listen to and identify the phases of Korotkoff sounds
- C. Pump the cuff to around 50 mmHg above the point where the pulse is obliterated
- D. Observe procedures for infection control
Correct answer: B
Rationale: When measuring blood pressure, it is crucial to follow specific steps to obtain accurate readings. Taking the blood pressure on both arms for comparison helps assess any variations. Pumping the cuff to around 50 mmHg above the point of pulse obliteration ensures accurate measurements. Observing procedures for infection control is vital to prevent the spread of infections. Listening to and identifying the phases of Korotkoff sounds are associated with auscultatory blood pressure measurements, not the initial blood pressure reading process.
4. What is the most consistent and commonly used indicator of pain in infants?
- A. Increased respirations
- B. Increased heart rate
- C. Thrashing of arms and legs
- D. Facial expression of discomfort
Correct answer: D
Rationale: Facial expression has consistently been validated as an indicator of pain in infants. Behavioral pain measures are most reliable for sharp procedural pain in infants. Increased heart rate and respirations are indicative of a generalized and complex response to stress, not specific for pain in infants. Thrashing of arms and legs is a reliable indicator in young children, not specifically in infants.
5. When educating a client about to undergo a pacemaker insertion, the nurse explains the normal phases of cardiac muscle tissue. During the repolarization phase, the nurse will stress that membranes must be repolarized before they can be re-excited. Within the cell, the nurse understands that:
- A. Potassium channels open while sodium channels close, causing repolarization to the resting state.
- B. The influx of calcium is the primary stimulus for the repolarization of cardiac tissue.
- C. Only the electrical activity within the heart will determine when repolarization occurs.
- D. The cell membranes need to stay calm, resulting in muscle tissue becoming refractory.
Correct answer: A
Rationale: During the repolarization phase of cardiac muscle tissue, potassium channels open while sodium channels close. This process is crucial for the cardiac muscle to return to its resting state after depolarization. Potassium moving out of the cell and sodium staying out helps reset the membrane potential and prepare the cell for the next depolarization phase. The influx of calcium is not the primary stimulus for repolarization in cardiac tissue; it is mainly involved in the depolarization phase. While electrical activity within the heart influences repolarization, the specific ion movements described in choice A are what physiologically drive repolarization. Cell membranes need to be in an active state during repolarization, not calm, to facilitate the necessary ion movements for muscle tissue to properly function.
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