A patient’s blood pressure is 90/72 mm Hg. What is the patient’s pulse pressure?

Choice A reason: Hypercalcemia shortens the QT interval on ECG due to accelerated cardiac repolarization. This aligns with electrolyte-related cardiac monitoring, making it the correct change the nurse would recognize as indicating possible hypercalcemia in the client’s electrocardiography assessment.

Choice B reason: Inverted T waves suggest ischemia or hypokalemia, not hypercalcemia, which shortens the QT interval. This is incorrect, as it doesn’t align with the nurse’s expected ECG change for hypercalcemia compared to the characteristic shortened QT interval.

Choice C reason: Prominent U waves are associated with hypokalemia, not hypercalcemia, which affects the QT interval. Shortened QT is correct, making this incorrect, as it’s unrelated to the nurse’s monitoring for hypercalcemia’s ECG changes in the client.

Choice D reason: Absent P waves indicate atrial fibrillation, not hypercalcemia, which shortens the QT interval. This is incorrect, as it doesn’t reflect the nurse’s anticipated ECG change for hypercalcemia, unlike the characteristic shortened QT interval in the client’s monitoring.

Choice A reason: Checking urinary specific gravity monitors DI control but is less critical than detecting fluid retention from desmopressin, which can cause hyponatremia. Daily weighing identifies weight gain, making this incorrect, as it’s secondary to the nurse’s priority teaching on preventing serious drug-related complications.

Choice B reason: Monitoring blood pressure is relevant for cardiovascular health but not the primary concern with desmopressin, which risks fluid overload. Daily weighing detects this, making this incorrect, as it’s less specific than the nurse’s teaching to monitor for weight gain in DI treatment.

Choice C reason: Blood glucose monitoring is unrelated to desmopressin or DI, which affects water balance, not glucose. Weighing daily addresses fluid retention, making this incorrect, as it’s irrelevant compared to the nurse’s priority teaching on managing desmopressin’s fluid-related side effects in DI.

Choice D reason: Daily weighing and reporting weight gain is the priority teaching, as desmopressin can cause fluid retention, leading to hyponatremia. This aligns with DI therapy safety, making it the correct teaching to prevent complications, ensuring the client monitors for this critical adverse effect of desmopressin.