The nurse is preparing to hang a bag of 0.9% sodium chloride (normal saline) for a patient who has hyponatremia. The nurse knows that this type of solution is:
Hypotonic and will move fluid out of the vascular space.
Hypertonic and will move fluid into the vascular space.
Isotonic and will expand the vascular space.
Isotonic and will have no effect on fluid movement.
The Correct Answer is C
Choice A reason: This is incorrect because 0.9% sodium chloride (normal saline) is an isotonic solution, not a hypotonic one. Isotonic solutions have the same concentration of solutes as blood plasma and do not cause fluid movement across the cell membrane.
Choice B reason:
This is incorrect because 0.9% sodium chloride (normal saline) is an isotonic solution, not a hypertonic one. Hypertonic solutions have a higher concentration of solutes than blood plasma and cause fluid to move out of the cells and into the vascular space.
Choice C reason:
This is correct because 0.9% sodium chloride (normal saline) is an isotonic solution that will expand the vascular space by adding fluid without changing the concentration of solutes. This is useful for patients with hyponatremia (low sodium level in the blood) who need to restore their fluid and electrolyte balance.
Choice D reason:
This is incorrect because 0.9% sodium chloride (normal saline) is an isotonic solution that will expand the vascular space by adding fluid without changing the concentration of solutes. It will not have no effect on fluid movement, as it will increase the intravascular volume.
Nursing Test Bank
Naxlex Comprehensive Predictor Exams
Related Questions
Correct Answer is ["A","B","C","D"]
Explanation
Choice A reason:
Decreased thirst. This is a sign of improvement because hypernatremia causes increased thirst due to high sodium levels in the blood. Decreased thirst indicates that the fluid therapy has restored the normal balance of sodium and water in the body.
Choice B reason:
Increased urine output. This is a sign of improvement because hypernatremia can cause decreased urine output due to dehydration or kidney dysfunction. Increased urine output indicates that the fluid therapy has replenished the body's water and helped the kidneys excrete excess sodium.
Choice C reason:
Decreased serum sodium level. This is a sign of improvement because hypernatremia is defined as a serum sodium level higher than 145 mEq/L. Decreased serum sodium level indicates that the fluid therapy has diluted the blood and lowered the sodium concentration to within the normal range.
Choice D reason:
Increased level of consciousness. This is a sign of improvement because hypernatremia can cause confusion, lethargy, or coma due to the effects of high sodium levels on the brain. Increased level of consciousness indicates that the fluid therapy has improved the brain function and reduced the risk of brain injury.
Choice E reason:
Decreased edema. This is not a sign of improvement because hypernatremia does not cause edema, which is the accumulation of fluid in the interstitial spaces. Edema is more likely to occur in conditions such as hypervolemia (excess fluid volume) or hyponatremia (low sodium levels) Decreased edema may indicate that the fluid therapy has caused fluid overload or electrolyte imbalance, which can be harmful.
Correct Answer is B
Explanation
Choice A: Hypercalcemia. This is a condition of having too much calcium in the blood. It can cause muscle weakness, constipation, nausea, vomiting, confusion, and irregular heartbeat. However, it does not typically cause paresthesias (tingling or numbness), diarrhea, or crackles in the lungs.
Choice B:
Hypokalemia. This is a condition of having too low potassium in the blood. It can cause muscle weakness, paresthesias, irregular heartbeat, shallow respirations, and increased risk of digoxin toxicity (a medication used to treat heart failure) It can also cause vomiting and diarrhea, which can worsen the potassium loss. This choice matches the symptoms of the patient.
Choice C:
Hypermagnesemia. This is a condition of having too much magnesium in the blood. It can cause muscle weakness, nausea, vomiting, low blood pressure, bradycardia (slow heart rate), and respiratory depression. However, it does not usually cause paresthesias, diarrhea, or crackles in the lungs.
Choice D:
Hypophosphatemia. This is a condition of having too low phosphate in the blood. It can cause muscle weakness, bone pain, rickets (softening of bones), and impaired cellular function. However, it does not typically cause paresthesias, irregular heartbeat, shallow respirations, or crackles in the lungs.
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