You are working on the cardiac unit and you have noticed that a patient’s potassium is 6.1 mEq/L. You have notified the provider and removed the banana from his meal tray. When explaining your actions to the patient, which of these statements is appropriate?
Your potassium levels in your blood are higher than they should be, which brings a risk of changes in kidney function.
The amount of potassium in your blood is too high, but I will change your intravenous fluids.
Your potassium level is high so I need you to let me know if you feel numbness, tingling, or weakness.
I need to monitor you for signs of high potassium; tell me if you feel as if your heart is beating quickly.
The Correct Answer is C
Choice A reason: Linking high potassium to kidney function risk is inaccurate; hyperkalemia primarily affects cardiac and neuromuscular function. Numbness, tingling, or weakness are direct symptoms, making this statement less relevant for patient education and incorrect.
Choice B reason: Changing IV fluids may be a treatment but doesn’t explain the issue or engage the patient. Asking to report numbness, tingling, or weakness directly addresses hyperkalemia symptoms, making this less appropriate and incorrect.
Choice C reason: High potassium (6.1 mEq/L) can cause numbness, tingling, or weakness. Instructing the patient to report these symptoms ensures early detection of worsening hyperkalemia, making this the correct, patient-centered statement for education.
Choice D reason: Palpitations may occur, but numbness, tingling, and weakness are more specific to hyperkalemia’s neuromuscular effects. “Quick beating” is less precise for heart rhythm issues, so this is incorrect compared to option c.
Nursing Test Bank
Naxlex Comprehensive Predictor Exams
Related Questions
Correct Answer is ["B","C","D"]
Explanation
Choice A reason: Red blood cells are not a direct measure of inflammation; they assess anemia or oxygen-carrying capacity. Inflammation is measured by WBC, ESR, and fever, which reflect immune activity and systemic response, so this is incorrect for inflammation measurement.
Choice B reason: White blood cells (WBC) increase during inflammation (leukocytosis), indicating immune activation. This is a standard laboratory measure of inflammatory processes, making it a correct choice for assessing inflammation in clinical practice.
Choice C reason: Erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR) measures how quickly red blood cells settle, rising with inflammation due to increased proteins. It’s a common marker for inflammatory conditions, making it a correct selection for measuring inflammation.
Choice D reason: Fever is a clinical sign of inflammation, driven by cytokines like IL-6. It’s a systemic response measured via temperature, making it a correct choice for assessing inflammation alongside laboratory markers like WBC and ESR.
Correct Answer is C
Explanation
Choice A reason: Smoking is a significant risk factor for ischemic stroke, contributing to vascular damage. However, hypertension has a stronger association, directly causing arterial stress and clot formation, so this is less critical than hypertension.
Choice B reason: Diabetes increases stroke risk by promoting atherosclerosis, but its impact is less immediate than hypertension, which directly elevates arterial pressure and stroke likelihood. Thus, diabetes is incorrect as the most significant factor.
Choice C reason: Hypertension is the most significant risk factor for ischemic stroke, as it damages arteries, promotes clot formation, and increases stroke incidence. Isky’s history highlights this as the primary contributor, making it correct.
Choice D reason: Age (65) is a stroke risk factor, but hypertension’s direct impact on vascular health outweighs age alone. Isky’s controllable risk factor, hypertension, is more significant, so this is incorrect.
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