Prescribed: Potassium chloride 40 mEq PO every 12 hours.

Available: Potassium chloride elixir 6.7 mEq/5 mL. How many mL should the nurse administer per dose? Round and record the answer to the nearest whole number.

Choice A rationale

Peripheral edema, characterized by swelling in the extremities due to fluid retention, is not a typical manifestation of myasthenia gravis. Myasthenia gravis is an autoimmune disorder primarily affecting neuromuscular transmission, leading to muscle weakness rather than fluid imbalances.

Choice B rationale

Drooping eyelids, also known as ptosis, is a very common and often early symptom of myasthenia gravis. It results from weakness of the levator palpebrae superioris muscle due to impaired acetylcholine receptor function at the neuromuscular junction, a hallmark of the disease.

Choice C rationale

Myasthenia gravis primarily affects voluntary muscles and does not typically cause loss of cognitive function. Cognitive abilities, such as memory, attention, and problem-solving, are generally preserved in patients with this condition, distinguishing it from neurological disorders that directly impact the brain.

Choice D rationale

Fluctuations in heart rate are not a characteristic finding in myasthenia gravis. While severe generalized muscle weakness can indirectly impact respiratory and cardiovascular function, the disease itself does not directly cause dysregulation of heart rate. Heart rate is typically regulated by the autonomic nervous system.

Choice A rationale

Identifying renal artery bruits typically involves auscultation, not palpation. Bruits are abnormal sounds produced by turbulent blood flow through a narrowed or constricted artery, which are heard with a stethoscope placed over the renal arteries. Palpation is not an effective method for detecting vascular sounds.

Choice B rationale

Assessing for ureteral peristalsis is challenging and not routinely done through external palpation. Ureteral peristalsis involves rhythmic contractions of the smooth muscle in the ureters that propel urine from the kidneys to the bladder, which is an internal physiological process not directly palpable through the abdominal wall.

Choice C rationale

Palpation is a standard physical assessment technique used to detect bladder distention. An overfilled bladder rises above the symphysis pubis and can be felt as a firm, rounded mass in the suprapubic area, indicating urinary retention or incomplete emptying, which is a common post-catheter removal assessment.

Choice D rationale

Determining kidney function primarily involves laboratory tests, such as serum creatinine, blood urea nitrogen (BUN), and glomerular filtration rate (GFR) calculations, rather than physical palpation. While kidney palpation can assess size and tenderness, it does not directly measure the physiological efficiency of filtration and waste removal.