A college student comes to the student health center with a 4-day history of flu-like
symptoms. The client reports feeling increasing fatigue, thirst, and nausea over the last 24
hours. Further assessment and lab work indicate that the client is experiencing diabetic
ketoacidosis (DKA). The client is transferred to an acute care facility for treatment.
1. What is the mechanism that results in Kussmaul respirations?
To compensate for metabolic acidosis, the respirations are deep and rapid.
2. To achieve the goal of restoring Lara's fluid volume, the nurse would expect to implement
which intervention?
Maintain an infusion of normal saline solution.
3. To restore Lara's blood glucose to a normal level, what should the nurse prepare to administer?
An IV infusion containing regular insulin.
4. In addition to monitoring Lara's blood glucose level, what additional lab values should the
nurse monitor carefully?
-Hemoglobin
-Calcium
-Potassium
-Blood Urea Nitrogen (BUN)
5. The nurse's decision about what to tell these callers should be based on what primary
consideration?
Lara's right to privacy regarding her health information.
6. Which response is best for the charge nurse to provide?
"The lab values can be copied as long as there is no identifying client data."
7. The nurse identifies that Lara has experienced classic symptoms of diabetes, which are:
Polyuria, polyphagia, and polydipsia.
8. How should the nurse respond?
"The symptoms have an abrupt onset that is often brought on by a viral illness, like the flu."
9. What is the best initial response by the nurse?
"It must be quite a shock to learn that you have diabetes."
10. What is the best response by the nurse?
"I'll leave you alone for now, but I will stop back by in 30 minutes."
11. Which statement made by Lara indicates that she correctly understands self-administration of
insulin?
"The amount of short-acting insulin I take every day is based on my blood sugar readings."
12. Which action should the nurse implement?
Encourage Lara to inject the insulin with the needle in place, as inserted.