a patient is taking spironolactone aldactone to control her hypertension her serum potassium level is 6 meql for this patient the nurses priority woul
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Nursing Elites

ATI RN

Fluid and Electrolytes ATI

1. A patient is taking spironolactone (Aldactone) to control her hypertension. Her serum potassium level is 6 mEq/L. For this patient, the nurse's priority would be to assess her:

Correct answer: D

Rationale: In a patient with a serum potassium level of 6 mEq/L due to spironolactone use, the nurse's priority is to assess the Electrocardiogram (ECG) results. Hyperkalemia can lead to life-threatening arrhythmias, such as ventricular fibrillation, which can be detected on an ECG. While changes in neuromuscular function, bowel sounds, and respiratory rate can occur with hyperkalemia, the most critical assessment related to the patient's condition would be monitoring the ECG for signs of cardiac complications.

2. A nurse evaluates the following arterial blood gas values in a client: pH 7.48, PaO2 98 mm Hg, PaCO2 28 mm Hg, and HCO3 22 mEq/L. Which client condition should the nurse correlate with these results?

Correct answer: B

Rationale:

3. The physician has ordered a peripheral IV to be inserted before the patient goes for computed tomography. What should the nurse do when selecting a site on the hand or arm for insertion of an IV catheter?

Correct answer: B

Rationale:

4. The community health nurse is performing a home visit to an 84-year-old woman recovering from hip surgery. The nurse notes that the woman seems uncharacteristically confused and has dry mucous membranes. When asked about her fluid intake, the patient states, I stop drinking water early in the day because it is just too difficult to get up during the night to go to the bathroom. What would be the nurses best response?

Correct answer: B

Rationale:

5. Which organ has the greatest effect on fluid output?

Correct answer: A

Rationale: The correct answer is the kidneys. The kidneys are primarily responsible for regulating fluid balance by filtering blood and adjusting the volume and concentration of urine. The lungs primarily regulate gas exchange, not fluid balance. The skin plays a role in temperature regulation and protection but is not the primary organ for fluid output. The intestines are mainly involved in the absorption of nutrients and water, rather than fluid output.

Similar Questions

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A patient's lab results show a slight decrease in potassium. The physician has declined to treat with drug therapy but has suggested increasing the potassium through diet. Which of the following would be a good source of potassium?
A nurse in the medical-surgical unit is giving a patient with low blood pressure a hypertonic solution, which will increase the number of dissolved particles in his blood, creating pressure for fluids in the tissues to shift into the capillaries and increase the blood volume. Which of the following terms is associated with this process?
What happens first in dehydration?
What is the most abundant positive ion in blood plasma?

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