The arterial blood gas (ABG) results for a patient who overdosed on barbiturates are pH = 7.32, PaCO2 = 52, and HCO3 = 23. Which interpretation would the nurse rely on when planning the patient's care?

Choice A rationale:

Enteric-coated iron is designed to be absorbed in the small intestine, not the stomach. Taking it with each meal might decrease its absorption due to interaction with food.

Choice B rationale:

Cobalamin (vitamin B12) deficiency can cause macrocytic anemia, not microcytic hypochromic anemia. Taking cobalamin with green, leafy vegetables does not address the specific iron deficiency seen in microcytic hypochromic anemia.

Choice C rationale:

Take the iron with orange juice 1 hour before meals is the correct answer. Vitamin C enhances the absorption of non-heme iron (the type of iron found in plant-based foods and iron supplements) by reducing it to a more absorbable form. Taking iron supplements with orange juice, which is high in vitamin C, can significantly improve iron absorption. Taking it before meals ensures better absorption due to reduced interaction with other dietary components.

Choice D rationale:

Decreasing the intake of antiseizure medications will not improve microcytic hypochromic anemia. Antiseizure medications do not directly influence iron absorption or the production of red blood cells.

The correct answer is B. Hypertonic saltwater.

Choice A rationale: Hypotonic saltwater would not cause significant fluid shifts into the alveoli. Instead, it would cause cells to swell due to the lower concentration of solutes outside the cells.

Choice B rationale: Hypertonic saltwater causes fluid to be drawn from the vascular space into the alveoli due to the higher concentration of solutes in the water compared to the body's cells. This can impair alveolar ventilation and result in hypoxia.

Choice C rationale: Hypotonic freshwater would cause cells to swell and potentially burst due to the lower concentration of solutes outside the cells, but it would not specifically cause fluid to be drawn into the alveoli.

Choice D rationale: Hypertonic freshwater is not a common classification for drowning water. Freshwater is typically hypotonic compared to body fluids, and it would not cause the same fluid shift as hypertonic saltwater.