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ANSWERS. LATEST UPDATE. h h
GUARANTEED A+ GRADE. h h
1. The nurse is reviewing laboratory results. Which cation will the
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nurse observe is the most abundant in the blood?
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a. Sodium
b. Chloride
c. Potassium
d. Magnesium
ANS: A h
Sodium is the most abundant cation in the blood. Potassium is the
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predominant intracellular cation. Chloride is an anion (negatively h h h h h h h h
charged) rather than a cation (positively charged). Magnesium is found
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predominantly inside cells and in bone. h h h h h
7. The nurse receives the patient’s most recent blood work
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results. Which laboratory value is of greatest concern?
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a. Sodium of 145 mEq/L h h h
b. Calcium of 15.5 mg/dL h h h
c. Potassium of 3.5 mEq/L h h h
d. Chloride of 100 mEq/L h h h h
ANS: B h
Normal calcium range is 8.4 to 10.5 mg/dL; therefore, a value of 15.5 mg/dL
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is abnormally high and of concern. The rest of the laboratory values are
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within their normal ranges: sodium 136 to 145 mEq/L; potassium
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3.5 to 5.0 mEq/L; and chloride 98 to 106 mEq/L.
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8. The nurse observes that the patient’s calcium is elevated. When
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, checking the phosphate level, what does the nurse expect to see?
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a. Increased
b. Decreased
c. Equal to calcium h h
d. No change in phosphate
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ANS: B h
Phosphate will decrease. Serum calcium and phosphate have an inverse h h h h h h h h h h
relationship. When one is elevated, the other decreases, except in h h h h h h h h h h
some patients with end-stage renal disease. h h h h h
9. Four patients arrive at the emergency department at the same time.
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Which patient will the nurse see first?
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a. An infant with temperature of 102.2° F and diarrhea for 3 days
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b. A teenager with a sprained ankle and excessive edema
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A middle-aged adult with abdominal pain who is moaning and holding
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c. her stomach h
An older adult with nausea and vomiting for 3 days with blood
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d. pressure 112/60 h
ANS: A h
The infant should be seen first. An infant’s proportion of total body water
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(70% to 80% total body weight) is greater than that of children or adults.
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Infants and young children have greater water needs and immature
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kidneys. They are at greater risk for extracellular volume deficit and h h h h h h h h h h h
hypernatremia because body water loss is proportionately greater per h h h h h h h h h
kilogram of weight. A teenager with excessive edema from a sprained h h h h h h h h h h h
ankle can wait. A middle-aged adult moaning in pain can wait as can an
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older adult with a blood pressure of 112/60. h h h h h h h
10. The patient has an intravenous (IV) line and the nurse needs to h h h h h h h h h h h h
remove the gown. In which order will the nurse perform the steps, starting
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with the first one? h h h
1. Remove the sleeve of the gown from the arm without the IV. h h h h h h h h h h h
2. Remove the sleeve of the gown from the arm with the IV. h h h h h h h h h h h
3. Remove the IV solution container from its stand. h h h h h h h
, 4. Pass the IV bag and tubing through the sleeve.
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, 2, 3,
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b. 2, 3, 4, 1 h h h
c. 3, 4, 1, 2 h h h
d. 4, 1, 2, 3 h h h
ANS: A h
Change regular gowns by following these steps for maximum speed and
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arm mobility: (1) To remove a gown, remove the sleeve of the gown
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from the arm without the IV line, maintaining the patient’s privacy. (2)
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Remove the sleeve of the gown from the arm with the IV line. (3)
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Remove the IV solution container from its stand, and pass it and the
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tubing through the sleeve. (If this involves removing the tubing from an
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EID, use the roller clamp to slow the infusion to prevent the accidental
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infusion of a large volume of solution or medication.) h h h h h h h h
11.A 2-year-old child is brought into the emergency department after ingesting
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a medication that causes respiratory depression. For which acid-base
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imbalance will the nurse most closely monitor this child?
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a. Respiratory alkalosis h
b. Respiratory acidosis h
c. Metabolic acidosis h
d. Metabolic alkalosis h
ANS: B h
Respiratory depression leads to hypoventilation. Hypoventilation results in
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retention of CO2 and respiratory acidosis. Respiratory alkalosis would
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result from hyperventilation, causing a decrease in CO2 levels.
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Metabolic acid-base imbalance would be a result of kidney dysfunction, h h h h h h h h h h
vomiting, diarrhea, or other conditions that affect metabolic acids.h h h h h h h h
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