A nurse is assisting with the care of a group of clients during a mass casualty event. Which of the following tasks should the nurse assign to an assistive personnel (AP)?

Choice A reason: Dry mucous membranes signal dehydration, not hyperkalemia directly. High potassium affects cardiac and nerve function, not mucosal hydration status in renal failure.

Choice B reason: Hyperactive reflexes occur in hypocalcemia, not hyperkalemia. Excess potassium depresses nerve and muscle activity, often reducing reflexes instead of enhancing them.

Choice C reason: Trousseau’s sign indicates hypocalcemia, with carpal spasm from cuff pressure. Hyperkalemia in renal failure doesn’t trigger this; it’s a calcium issue.

Choice D reason: Irregular heart rate, like bradycardia or arrhythmias, stems from hyperkalemia’s effect on cardiac conduction. In renal failure, potassium excess disrupts rhythms critically.

Choice A reason: Hearing loss is a known gentamicin ototoxicity effect, damaging cochlear hair cells irreversibly. Scientifically, this aminoglycoside targets the inner ear, causing tinnitus or deafness, a critical adverse reaction to monitor in pyelonephritis treatment per pharmacology evidence.

Choice B reason: Slurred speech suggests neurological issues (e.g., stroke), not gentamicin effects. Scientifically, this drug affects kidneys and ears, not speech centers, making this unrelated to its toxicity profile, which focuses on auditory and renal damage.

Choice C reason: Constipation isn’t linked to gentamicin; it’s more typical of opioids or immobility. Scientifically, this antibiotic’s side effects center on nephrotoxicity and ototoxicity, not gastrointestinal motility, rendering this an unlikely adverse reaction in this context.

Choice D reason: Hypotension may occur with rapid IV gentamicin, but it’s less common than ototoxicity. Scientifically, hearing loss is a hallmark toxicity, outweighing transient blood pressure drops, which are manageable and less specific to this drug’s adverse profile.