The nurse is admitting a client with Guillain-Barré syndrome to the nursing unit. The client has complaints of inability to move both legs and reports a tingling sensation above the waistline. Knowing the complications of the disorder, the nurse would bring which most essential items into the client’s room?

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: Palpation of a thrill, a vibrating sensation, indicates blood flow and patency in an arteriovenous fistula. This aligns with hemodialysis access assessment, making it the correct finding the nurse would use to confirm the fistula is patent.

Choice B reason: A radial pulse in the wrist is normal but doesn’t confirm fistula patency, which requires a thrill. Palpation of a thrill is specific, making this incorrect, as it’s not a direct indicator of fistula function in hemodialysis preparation.

Choice C reason: Enlarged vessels may suggest fistula development but don’t confirm active flow. A thrill indicates patency, making this incorrect, as it’s less specific than the nurse’s assessment of a palpable thrill over the fistula site.

Choice D reason: Capillary refill less than 3 seconds assesses distal perfusion, not fistula patency. Palpation of a thrill is the standard, making this incorrect, as it’s unrelated to the nurse’s evaluation of the arteriovenous fistula for hemodialysis.