NUR 201 MED SURG EXAM 1
QUESTIONS & ANSWERS RATED
100% CORRECT
Sodium (Na+) - Correct Answer ✔✔ Causes: CNS changes
Normal Range: 135-145 mEq/L
Foods: Salty foods
Hyponatremia - Correct Answer ✔✔ Causes: Fluid dilution or loss of sodium, fluid
retention, renal disease, CHF, liver disease, SIADH, NG tube suction, diarrhea,
excessive sweat, diuretics
Symptoms: Confusion, tired, abdominal cramping, increased urination, crave salty
foods, seizures
Interventions: Give dietary sodium, restrict water intake, drugs to remove water and not
sodium, IV saline or LR infusions
Hypernatremia - Correct Answer ✔✔ Causes: Dehydration or excess sodium, Fluid loss
(diarrhea or vomiting), water deprivation, too much saline solution or table salt, heat
stroke, tube feedings without water, kidney failure
Symptoms: Crave water, dry sticky mucous membranes, weakness, confusion,
agitation, lethargy, muscle twitching, progressive muscle weakness, diminished or
absent DTR
In sever cases: Convulsions, decreased level of consciousness
Interventions: Replace fluids cautiously, decrease sodium intake.
Potassium (K+) - Correct Answer ✔✔ Causes: Cardiac changes
Normal Range: 3.5-5 mEq/L
Foods: Potatoes, carrots, meat, fish, tomatoes, avocado
Hypokalemia - Correct Answer ✔✔ Causes: Vomiting, heavy perspiration, potassium
wasting drugs (diuretics), poor intake of potassium, use of laxatives, kidney disease
Symptoms: Cardiac arrhythmias, leg cramps, lethargy, decreased GI motility, decreased
bowel sounds, decreased tendon reflexes, lethargy, depressed T wave on EKG
Interventions: Give potassium orally with food, IV potassium ALWAYS ON PUMP
Hyperkalemia - Correct Answer ✔✔ Causes: Diarrhea, renal failure, potassium sparing
diuretics, hyporaldosteronism, acidosis
Symptoms: Cardiac arrest, muscle weakness, irregular pulses, GI hyperactivity,
bradycardia, hypotension, ECG tall T waves
Interventions: Limit potassium intake, increase fluids, give potassium exolete enema,
give potassium wasting diuretics, dialysis in renal patients
, Calcium (Ca 2+) - Correct Answer ✔✔ Causes: Neuro changes
Normal Range: 8.5-10.5 mEq/L
Foods: Vitamin D, diary products, dark green leafy vegetables
Hypocalemia - Correct Answer ✔✔ Causes: HypoPTH, acute pancreatitis,
hyperphosphatemia, inadequate vitamin D intake, malabsorption syndrome, end stage
kidney disease
Symptoms: Weak bones, bad teeth, circum oral numbness, +Trousseau & Chvostek
sign, severe muscle cramping, muscle tremors, can progress to convulsions, decrease
cardiac output, cardiac dysrhythmias, hyperactive DTR
Interventions: Give dietary calcium
Hypercalcemia - Correct Answer ✔✔ Causes: HyperPTH, excessive oral intake, kidney
failure, thiazide diuretics, malignancy
Symptoms: Lethargy, weakness, bone pain, decrease DTR, constipation, renal stones,
heart block, increase BP and HR
Interventions: Increase fluid intake and fiber, limit calcium rich foods, encourage
movement, acid-ash diet (cranberries, prunes helps prevent stone formation)
Magnesium (Mg 2+) - Correct Answer ✔✔ Causes: Neuro changes
Normal Range: 1.5-2.5 mEq/L
Foods: Green leafy vegetables, fish, legumes, whole grains, best source is dried fruit
Hypomagnesemia - Correct Answer ✔✔ Causes: Long time use of certain drugs
(diuretics), loss from GI tract, malnutrition, malabsorption, alcoholism, chronic diarrhea
Symptoms: Neuromuscular irritability with tremors, increased reflexes, tachycardia,
disorientation and confusion, anorexia, difficulty swallowing, respiratory difficulties,
positive Trousseaus and Chvostek's sign
In maternity patients could see convulsions.
Interventions: Foods high in magnesium, IV magnesium sulfate
Hypermagnesemia - Correct Answer ✔✔ Causes: Epsom salts, renal failure and
adrenal patients
Symptoms: Vasodilation, nausea, vomiting, muscle weakness, paralysis, hypotension,
bradycardia, decreased DTR, respiratory depression or coma, respiratory and cardiac
arrest
Interventions: Fluids, safety precautions due to potential changes in level of
consciousness, monitor vital signs closely
Fluid and Electrolyte Balance - Correct Answer ✔✔ The process of regulating the:
Extracellular fluid volume
Body fluid osmolality
Plasma concentrations of electrolytes
QUESTIONS & ANSWERS RATED
100% CORRECT
Sodium (Na+) - Correct Answer ✔✔ Causes: CNS changes
Normal Range: 135-145 mEq/L
Foods: Salty foods
Hyponatremia - Correct Answer ✔✔ Causes: Fluid dilution or loss of sodium, fluid
retention, renal disease, CHF, liver disease, SIADH, NG tube suction, diarrhea,
excessive sweat, diuretics
Symptoms: Confusion, tired, abdominal cramping, increased urination, crave salty
foods, seizures
Interventions: Give dietary sodium, restrict water intake, drugs to remove water and not
sodium, IV saline or LR infusions
Hypernatremia - Correct Answer ✔✔ Causes: Dehydration or excess sodium, Fluid loss
(diarrhea or vomiting), water deprivation, too much saline solution or table salt, heat
stroke, tube feedings without water, kidney failure
Symptoms: Crave water, dry sticky mucous membranes, weakness, confusion,
agitation, lethargy, muscle twitching, progressive muscle weakness, diminished or
absent DTR
In sever cases: Convulsions, decreased level of consciousness
Interventions: Replace fluids cautiously, decrease sodium intake.
Potassium (K+) - Correct Answer ✔✔ Causes: Cardiac changes
Normal Range: 3.5-5 mEq/L
Foods: Potatoes, carrots, meat, fish, tomatoes, avocado
Hypokalemia - Correct Answer ✔✔ Causes: Vomiting, heavy perspiration, potassium
wasting drugs (diuretics), poor intake of potassium, use of laxatives, kidney disease
Symptoms: Cardiac arrhythmias, leg cramps, lethargy, decreased GI motility, decreased
bowel sounds, decreased tendon reflexes, lethargy, depressed T wave on EKG
Interventions: Give potassium orally with food, IV potassium ALWAYS ON PUMP
Hyperkalemia - Correct Answer ✔✔ Causes: Diarrhea, renal failure, potassium sparing
diuretics, hyporaldosteronism, acidosis
Symptoms: Cardiac arrest, muscle weakness, irregular pulses, GI hyperactivity,
bradycardia, hypotension, ECG tall T waves
Interventions: Limit potassium intake, increase fluids, give potassium exolete enema,
give potassium wasting diuretics, dialysis in renal patients
, Calcium (Ca 2+) - Correct Answer ✔✔ Causes: Neuro changes
Normal Range: 8.5-10.5 mEq/L
Foods: Vitamin D, diary products, dark green leafy vegetables
Hypocalemia - Correct Answer ✔✔ Causes: HypoPTH, acute pancreatitis,
hyperphosphatemia, inadequate vitamin D intake, malabsorption syndrome, end stage
kidney disease
Symptoms: Weak bones, bad teeth, circum oral numbness, +Trousseau & Chvostek
sign, severe muscle cramping, muscle tremors, can progress to convulsions, decrease
cardiac output, cardiac dysrhythmias, hyperactive DTR
Interventions: Give dietary calcium
Hypercalcemia - Correct Answer ✔✔ Causes: HyperPTH, excessive oral intake, kidney
failure, thiazide diuretics, malignancy
Symptoms: Lethargy, weakness, bone pain, decrease DTR, constipation, renal stones,
heart block, increase BP and HR
Interventions: Increase fluid intake and fiber, limit calcium rich foods, encourage
movement, acid-ash diet (cranberries, prunes helps prevent stone formation)
Magnesium (Mg 2+) - Correct Answer ✔✔ Causes: Neuro changes
Normal Range: 1.5-2.5 mEq/L
Foods: Green leafy vegetables, fish, legumes, whole grains, best source is dried fruit
Hypomagnesemia - Correct Answer ✔✔ Causes: Long time use of certain drugs
(diuretics), loss from GI tract, malnutrition, malabsorption, alcoholism, chronic diarrhea
Symptoms: Neuromuscular irritability with tremors, increased reflexes, tachycardia,
disorientation and confusion, anorexia, difficulty swallowing, respiratory difficulties,
positive Trousseaus and Chvostek's sign
In maternity patients could see convulsions.
Interventions: Foods high in magnesium, IV magnesium sulfate
Hypermagnesemia - Correct Answer ✔✔ Causes: Epsom salts, renal failure and
adrenal patients
Symptoms: Vasodilation, nausea, vomiting, muscle weakness, paralysis, hypotension,
bradycardia, decreased DTR, respiratory depression or coma, respiratory and cardiac
arrest
Interventions: Fluids, safety precautions due to potential changes in level of
consciousness, monitor vital signs closely
Fluid and Electrolyte Balance - Correct Answer ✔✔ The process of regulating the:
Extracellular fluid volume
Body fluid osmolality
Plasma concentrations of electrolytes
