Exhibits

Review H and P, nurse's notes, flow sheet, laboratory values, prescriptions, and imaging studies.

Highlight the times that the practical nurse (PN) should measure vital signs.

A. 1000

B. 1200

C. 1500

D. 1400

E. 1800

F. 1600

G. 2000

H. 0800

A. The amount of fluid the client drank today: Although fluid intake affects weight, daily weights are intended to reflect overall fluid and nutritional changes over time, not just today's intake. Monitoring intake is important but not the most critical factor in conducting daily weights consistently.
B. When the client wants to be weighed: While respecting the client's preferences is important for cooperation, clinical accuracy requires consistency in timing and conditions, not simply weighing at the client's preferred time.
C. When the client was last weighed: Knowing when the client was last weighed ensures consistency and accuracy for monitoring trends. Daily weights should be taken at the same time each day, ideally in the morning before eating and after voiding, to accurately track fluid balance and body mass changes.
D. The amount of food the client ate today: Food intake affects weight slightly, but the purpose of daily weights is to detect significant changes, such as fluid retention or loss. Weighing under consistent conditions matters more than focusing on the day's food intake.

A. Bruising: Bruising is more commonly associated with platelet disorders or clotting deficiencies rather than low calcium levels. It does not directly relate to the neuromuscular symptoms caused by hypocalcemia.
B. Pallor: Pallor is often a sign of anemia or poor perfusion, not a specific indicator of low serum calcium levels. While important to observe, it is not the most relevant concern in hypocalcemia.
C. Tetany: Tetany, characterized by muscle cramps, spasms, and sometimes severe convulsions, is a classic symptom of hypocalcemia. Low calcium levels increase neuromuscular excitability, leading to these involuntary muscle contractions, which require immediate monitoring and intervention.
D. Jaundice: Jaundice reflects elevated bilirubin levels, typically related to liver dysfunction, not calcium imbalance. It would not be expected in a client primarily experiencing malabsorption-induced hypocalcemia.