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NUR 155 Fluid & Electrolyte NCLEX 2026
exam guide questions and expert
verified answers already graded A+,
exams of nursing.
The nurse is planning care for a pt with fluid volume overload & hyponatremia. Which of the
following should be included in this pt's plan of care?
1. Restrict fluids.
2. Administer intravenous fluids.
3. Provide Kayexalate.
4. Administer intravenous normal saline with furosemide. --//ANS//--Answer: 1
Rationale 1: The nursing care for a pt with hyponatremia is dependent on the cause. Restriction
of fluids to 1,000 mL/day is usually implemented to assist sodium increase & to prevent the
sodium level from dropping further due to dilution.
Rationale 2: The administration of intravenous fluids would be indicated in fluid volume deficit
& hypernatremia.
Rationale 3: Kayexalate is used in pts with hyperkalemia.
Rationale 4: The administration of normal saline with furosemide is used to increase calcium
secretion.
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When caring for a pt diagnosed with hypocalcemia, which of the following should the nurse
additionally assess in the pt?
1. other electrolyte disturbances
2. hypertension
3. visual disturbances
4. drug toxicity --//ANS//--Answer: 1
Rationale 1: The pt diagnosed with hypocalcemia may also have high phosphorus or decreased
magnesium levels.
Rationale 2: The pt with hypocalcemia may exhibit hypotension, & not hypertension.
Rationale 3: Visual disturbances do not occur with hypocalcemia.
Rationale 4: Hypercalcemia is more commonly caused by drug toxicities.
A pt with a history of stomach ulcers is diagnosed with hypophosphatemia. Which of the
following interventions should the nurse include in this pt's plan of care?
1. Request a dietitian consult for selecting foods high in phosphorous.
2. Provide aluminum hydroxide antacids as prescribed.
3. Instruct pt to avoid poultry, peanuts, & seeds.
4. Instruct to avoid the intake of sodium phosphate. --//ANS//--Answer: 1
Rationale 1: Treatment of hypophosphatemia includes treating the underlying cause & promoting
a high phosphate diet, especially milk, if it is tolerated. Other foods high in phosphate are dried
beans & peas, eggs, fish, organ meats, Brazil nuts & peanuts, poultry, seeds & whole grains.
Rationale 2: Phosphate-binding antacids, such as aluminum hydroxide, should be avoided.
Rationale 3: Poultry, peanuts, & seeds are part of a high phosphate diet.
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Rationale 4: Mild hypophosphatemia may be corrected by oral supplements, such as sodium
phosphate.
When analyzing an arterial blood gas report of a pt with COPD & respiratory acidosis, the nurse
anticipates that compensation will develop through which of the following mechanisms?
1. The kidneys retain bicarbonate.
2. The kidneys excrete bicarbonate.
3. The lungs will retain carbon dioxide.
4. The lungs will excrete carbon dioxide. --//ANS//--Answer: 1
Rationale 1: The kidneys will compensate for a respiratory disorder by retaining bicarbonate.
Rationale 2: Excreting bicarbonate causes acidosis to develop.
Rationale 3: Retaining carbon dioxide causes respiratory acidosis.
Rationale 4: Excreting carbon dioxide causes respiratory alkalosis
The nurse is caring for a pt diagnosed with renal failure. Which of the following does the nurse
recognize as compensation for the acid-base disturbance found in pts with renal failure?
1. The pt breathes rapidly to eliminate carbon dioxide.
2. The pt will retain bicarbonate in excess of normal.
3. The pH will decrease from the present value.
4. The pt's oxygen saturation level will improve. --//ANS//--Answer: 1
Rationale 1: In metabolic acidosis compensation is accomplished through increased ventilation
or "blowing off" C02. This raises the pH by eliminating the volatile respiratory acid &
compensates for the acidosis.
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Rationale 2: Because compensation must be performed by the system other than the affected
system, the pt cannot retain bicarbonate; the manifestation of metabolic acidosis of renal failure
is a lower than normal bicarbonate value.
Rationale 3: Metabolic acidosis of renal failure causes a low pH; this is the manifestation of the
disease process, not the compensation.
Rationale 4: Oxygenation disturbance is not part of the acid-base status of the pt with renal
failure.
When caring for a group of pts, the nurse realizes that which of the following health problems
increases the risk for metabolic alkalosis?
1. bulimia
2. dialysis
3. venous stasis ulcer
4. COPD --//ANS//--Answer: 1
Rationale 1: Metabolic alkalosis is cause by vomiting, diuretic therapy or nasogastric suction,
among others. A pt with bulimia may engage in vomiting or indiscriminate use of diuretics.
Rationale 2: A pt receiving dialysis has kidney failure, which causes metabolic acidosis.
Rationale 3: A venous stasis ulcer does not result in an acid-base disorder.
Rationale 4: The pt diagnosed with COPD typically has hypercapnea & respiratory acidosis.
The nurse is caring for a pt who is anxious & dizzy following a traumatic experience. The
arterial blood gas findings include: pH 7.48, PaO2 110, PaCO2 25, & HCO3 24. The nurse
would anticipate which initial intervention to correct this problem?
NUR 155 Fluid & Electrolyte NCLEX 2026
exam guide questions and expert
verified answers already graded A+,
exams of nursing.
The nurse is planning care for a pt with fluid volume overload & hyponatremia. Which of the
following should be included in this pt's plan of care?
1. Restrict fluids.
2. Administer intravenous fluids.
3. Provide Kayexalate.
4. Administer intravenous normal saline with furosemide. --//ANS//--Answer: 1
Rationale 1: The nursing care for a pt with hyponatremia is dependent on the cause. Restriction
of fluids to 1,000 mL/day is usually implemented to assist sodium increase & to prevent the
sodium level from dropping further due to dilution.
Rationale 2: The administration of intravenous fluids would be indicated in fluid volume deficit
& hypernatremia.
Rationale 3: Kayexalate is used in pts with hyperkalemia.
Rationale 4: The administration of normal saline with furosemide is used to increase calcium
secretion.
,2|Page
When caring for a pt diagnosed with hypocalcemia, which of the following should the nurse
additionally assess in the pt?
1. other electrolyte disturbances
2. hypertension
3. visual disturbances
4. drug toxicity --//ANS//--Answer: 1
Rationale 1: The pt diagnosed with hypocalcemia may also have high phosphorus or decreased
magnesium levels.
Rationale 2: The pt with hypocalcemia may exhibit hypotension, & not hypertension.
Rationale 3: Visual disturbances do not occur with hypocalcemia.
Rationale 4: Hypercalcemia is more commonly caused by drug toxicities.
A pt with a history of stomach ulcers is diagnosed with hypophosphatemia. Which of the
following interventions should the nurse include in this pt's plan of care?
1. Request a dietitian consult for selecting foods high in phosphorous.
2. Provide aluminum hydroxide antacids as prescribed.
3. Instruct pt to avoid poultry, peanuts, & seeds.
4. Instruct to avoid the intake of sodium phosphate. --//ANS//--Answer: 1
Rationale 1: Treatment of hypophosphatemia includes treating the underlying cause & promoting
a high phosphate diet, especially milk, if it is tolerated. Other foods high in phosphate are dried
beans & peas, eggs, fish, organ meats, Brazil nuts & peanuts, poultry, seeds & whole grains.
Rationale 2: Phosphate-binding antacids, such as aluminum hydroxide, should be avoided.
Rationale 3: Poultry, peanuts, & seeds are part of a high phosphate diet.
,3|Page
Rationale 4: Mild hypophosphatemia may be corrected by oral supplements, such as sodium
phosphate.
When analyzing an arterial blood gas report of a pt with COPD & respiratory acidosis, the nurse
anticipates that compensation will develop through which of the following mechanisms?
1. The kidneys retain bicarbonate.
2. The kidneys excrete bicarbonate.
3. The lungs will retain carbon dioxide.
4. The lungs will excrete carbon dioxide. --//ANS//--Answer: 1
Rationale 1: The kidneys will compensate for a respiratory disorder by retaining bicarbonate.
Rationale 2: Excreting bicarbonate causes acidosis to develop.
Rationale 3: Retaining carbon dioxide causes respiratory acidosis.
Rationale 4: Excreting carbon dioxide causes respiratory alkalosis
The nurse is caring for a pt diagnosed with renal failure. Which of the following does the nurse
recognize as compensation for the acid-base disturbance found in pts with renal failure?
1. The pt breathes rapidly to eliminate carbon dioxide.
2. The pt will retain bicarbonate in excess of normal.
3. The pH will decrease from the present value.
4. The pt's oxygen saturation level will improve. --//ANS//--Answer: 1
Rationale 1: In metabolic acidosis compensation is accomplished through increased ventilation
or "blowing off" C02. This raises the pH by eliminating the volatile respiratory acid &
compensates for the acidosis.
, 4|Page
Rationale 2: Because compensation must be performed by the system other than the affected
system, the pt cannot retain bicarbonate; the manifestation of metabolic acidosis of renal failure
is a lower than normal bicarbonate value.
Rationale 3: Metabolic acidosis of renal failure causes a low pH; this is the manifestation of the
disease process, not the compensation.
Rationale 4: Oxygenation disturbance is not part of the acid-base status of the pt with renal
failure.
When caring for a group of pts, the nurse realizes that which of the following health problems
increases the risk for metabolic alkalosis?
1. bulimia
2. dialysis
3. venous stasis ulcer
4. COPD --//ANS//--Answer: 1
Rationale 1: Metabolic alkalosis is cause by vomiting, diuretic therapy or nasogastric suction,
among others. A pt with bulimia may engage in vomiting or indiscriminate use of diuretics.
Rationale 2: A pt receiving dialysis has kidney failure, which causes metabolic acidosis.
Rationale 3: A venous stasis ulcer does not result in an acid-base disorder.
Rationale 4: The pt diagnosed with COPD typically has hypercapnea & respiratory acidosis.
The nurse is caring for a pt who is anxious & dizzy following a traumatic experience. The
arterial blood gas findings include: pH 7.48, PaO2 110, PaCO2 25, & HCO3 24. The nurse
would anticipate which initial intervention to correct this problem?
