Which term would the nurse use when extracellular fluid and intracellular fluid have the same osmolality?

The correct answer is A. Gather information on the patient’s current medications, including prescription drugs, over-the-counter drugs, herbal supplements, and vitamins. To ensure accuracy, nurses verify the medication list with the patient, family, caregivers, or community pharmacies and document the information in the patient’s EMR.

Choice A: Gather information on the patient’s current medications, including prescription drugs, over-the-counter drugs, herbal supplements, and vitamins. To ensure accuracy, nurses verify the medication list with the patient, family, caregivers, or community pharmacies and document the information in the patient’s EMR.
This choice accurately describes the comprehensive process of medication reconciliation. Nurses play a crucial role in gathering detailed information about all medications a patient is currently taking, including prescription drugs, over-the-counter medications, herbal supplements, and vitamins. This information is then verified with various sources such as the patient, their family, caregivers, or community pharmacies to ensure its accuracy. Finally, the verified information is documented in the patient’s Electronic Medical Record (EMR). This process helps prevent medication errors, ensures continuity of care, and enhances patient safety.
Choice B: Review the patient’s medication list to verify its accuracy and completeness. They also compare the list of current medications with new orders or prescriptions to detect any discrepancies or potential issues.
While this choice describes an important aspect of medication reconciliation, it is not as comprehensive as Choice A. Verifying the accuracy and completeness of the medication list and comparing it with new orders or prescriptions is a critical step in identifying discrepancies or potential issues. However, it does not encompass the initial gathering of information from various sources or the documentation process, which are essential components of medication reconciliation.
Choice C: Review the medication history provided by the patient and make changes in the medications based on the patient’s current health status. They communicate any medication changes to the patient and the healthcare team.
This choice focuses on reviewing the medication history and making changes based on the patient’s current health status. While this is an important aspect of patient care, it does not fully capture the scope of medication reconciliation. Medication reconciliation involves not only reviewing and updating medications but also gathering comprehensive information from multiple sources and ensuring accurate documentation. This choice lacks the emphasis on verification and documentation that is central to the medication reconciliation process.

Choice A: Hypotonic

A hypotonic solution has a lower concentration of solutes compared to the fluid inside the cells. When cells are placed in a hypotonic solution, water enters the cells, causing them to swell and potentially burst. This is because the osmotic pressure drives water into the cells to balance the solute concentration. Hypotonic solutions are not used to describe a state where extracellular and intracellular fluids have the same osmolality.

Choice B: Oncotic Pressure

Oncotic pressure, also known as colloid osmotic pressure, is the form of osmotic pressure exerted by proteins, primarily albumin, in the blood plasma. It plays a crucial role in maintaining fluid balance between the blood vessels and the surrounding tissues by pulling water into the circulatory system. Oncotic pressure is not related to the concept of equal osmolality between extracellular and intracellular fluids.

Choice C: Isotonic

An isotonic solution has the same concentration of solutes as the fluid inside the cells. When extracellular fluid is isotonic to intracellular fluid, there is no net movement of water into or out of the cells, maintaining cell stability. This balance is crucial for normal cellular function and is the term used to describe equal osmolality between extracellular and intracellular fluids.

Choice D: Hypertonic

A hypertonic solution has a higher concentration of solutes compared to the fluid inside the cells. When cells are placed in a hypertonic solution, water leaves the cells, causing them to shrink or crenate. This occurs because the osmotic pressure drives water out of the cells to balance the solute concentration. Hypertonic solutions are not used to describe a state where extracellular and intracellular fluids have the same osmolality.