Which is the most reliable method for monitoring improvement when restoring fluid balance?
Vital signs
skin turgor
Daily input and output
Daily weights
The Correct Answer is D
A. Vital signs: Vital signs can reflect changes in fluid status, but they are not always sensitive to small shifts in fluid balance and can be affected by many other factors like medications.
B. Skin turgor: Skin turgor can be useful for assessing dehydration but is not a reliable indicator for tracking fluid balance over time, especially in older adults where skin elasticity naturally declines.
C. Daily input and output: Monitoring intake and output is useful, but it is not the most reliable for evaluating overall fluid balance, especially in cases of insensible loss or shifts in third spaces.
D. Daily weights: Weighing the patient daily is the most reliable method for monitoring fluid balance because it directly reflects changes in fluid retention or loss, particularly in acute or chronic conditions like heart failure or dehydration.
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Related Questions
Correct Answer is B
Explanation
A. Dextrose 10% in water: Dextrose solutions provide calories but do not restore volume or replace electrolytes. They are not typically used in hypovolemic shock.
B. Lactated Ringer's: Lactated Ringer’s solution is an isotonic solution containing sodium, potassium, calcium, and lactate, which helps restore both fluid volume and electrolytes in the case of hypovolemic shock. It is commonly used while awaiting blood transfusions.
C. 0.33% sodium chloride: This is a hypotonic solution that can cause fluid to shift into cells and is not appropriate for fluid resuscitation in hypovolemia, which requires an isotonic solution.
D. 0.45% sodium chloride: This is a hypotonic solution as well, and it could worsen hypotension by causing fluid shifts into the cells, which is not ideal for treating hypovolemic shock.
Correct Answer is A
Explanation
A. Tap the face just below and in front of the ear: This is the correct technique for eliciting Chvostek’s sign, which involves tapping over the facial nerve. A positive sign (twitching of facial muscles) indicates hypocalcemia.
B. Inflate a blood pressure cuff around the upper arm for 4 minutes: This describes Trousseau’s sign, another test for hypocalcemia, where carpopedal spasm occurs due to ischemia.
C. Apply pressure over the ulnar and radial arteries: This describes Allen’s test, used to assess arterial blood flow, not calcium levels.
D. Forcefully dorsiflex the ankle when the knee is in an extended position: This describes Homan’s sign, which is used to assess for deep vein thrombosis (DVT), not hypocalcemia.
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