A nurse is evaluating the effectiveness of fluid therapy for a client who has hypernatremia. Which of the following findings indicates improvement? (Select all that apply.)
Decreased thirst.
Increased urine output.
Decreased serum sodium level.
Increased level of consciousness.
Decreased edema.
Correct Answer : A,B,C,D
Choice A reason:
Decreased thirst. This is a sign of improvement because hypernatremia causes increased thirst due to high sodium levels in the blood. Decreased thirst indicates that the fluid therapy has restored the normal balance of sodium and water in the body.
Choice B reason:
Increased urine output. This is a sign of improvement because hypernatremia can cause decreased urine output due to dehydration or kidney dysfunction. Increased urine output indicates that the fluid therapy has replenished the body's water and helped the kidneys excrete excess sodium.
Choice C reason:
Decreased serum sodium level. This is a sign of improvement because hypernatremia is defined as a serum sodium level higher than 145 mEq/L. Decreased serum sodium level indicates that the fluid therapy has diluted the blood and lowered the sodium concentration to within the normal range.
Choice D reason:
Increased level of consciousness. This is a sign of improvement because hypernatremia can cause confusion, lethargy, or coma due to the effects of high sodium levels on the brain. Increased level of consciousness indicates that the fluid therapy has improved the brain function and reduced the risk of brain injury.
Choice E reason:
Decreased edema. This is not a sign of improvement because hypernatremia does not cause edema, which is the accumulation of fluid in the interstitial spaces. Edema is more likely to occur in conditions such as hypervolemia (excess fluid volume) or hyponatremia (low sodium levels) Decreased edema may indicate that the fluid therapy has caused fluid overload or electrolyte imbalance, which can be harmful.
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Correct Answer is D
Explanation
Choice A reason:
Serum sodium is not directly related to the acid-base balance of the body. Sodium bicarbonate therapy does not affect the serum sodium level significantly. Therefore, monitoring serum sodium is not an effective way to evaluate the effectiveness of the therapy.
Choice B reason:
Serum potassium is inversely related to the serum pH. As the pH increases, the potassium level decreases, and vice versa. Sodium bicarbonate therapy raises the pH and lowers the potassium level. Therefore, monitoring serum potassium is important to prevent hypokalemia, but it does not directly reflect the acid-base balance of the body.
Choice C reason:
Serum chloride is inversely related to the serum bicarbonate level. As the bicarbonate level increases, the chloride level decreases, and vice versa. Sodium bicarbonate therapy increases the bicarbonate level and decreases the chloride level. Therefore, monitoring serum chloride is important to prevent hypochloremia, but it does not directly reflect the acid-base balance of the body.
Choice D reason:
Serum bicarbonate is directly related to the acid-base balance of the body. The normal range of serum bicarbonate is 22 to 26 mEq/L. In metabolic acidosis, the bicarbonate level is low, and in metabolic alkalosis, it is high. Sodium bicarbonate therapy aims to increase the bicarbonate level and correct metabolic acidosis. Therefore, monitoring serum bicarbonate is the most effective way to evaluate the effectiveness of the therapy.
Correct Answer is C
Explanation
Choice A reason: This is incorrect because 0.9% sodium chloride (normal saline) is an isotonic solution, not a hypotonic one. Isotonic solutions have the same concentration of solutes as blood plasma and do not cause fluid movement across the cell membrane.
Choice B reason:
This is incorrect because 0.9% sodium chloride (normal saline) is an isotonic solution, not a hypertonic one. Hypertonic solutions have a higher concentration of solutes than blood plasma and cause fluid to move out of the cells and into the vascular space.
Choice C reason:
This is correct because 0.9% sodium chloride (normal saline) is an isotonic solution that will expand the vascular space by adding fluid without changing the concentration of solutes. This is useful for patients with hyponatremia (low sodium level in the blood) who need to restore their fluid and electrolyte balance.
Choice D reason:
This is incorrect because 0.9% sodium chloride (normal saline) is an isotonic solution that will expand the vascular space by adding fluid without changing the concentration of solutes. It will not have no effect on fluid movement, as it will increase the intravascular volume.
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