aldosterone

ATI RN

ATI Fluid and Electrolytes

1. What is the function of aldosterone?

A. Regulates body temperature.
B. Decreases blood pressure.
C. Increases sodium reabsorption.
D. Promotes water excretion.

Correct answer: C

Rationale: Aldosterone increases the reabsorption of sodium in the kidneys, which leads to an increase in blood volume and blood pressure. Choice A is incorrect as aldosterone does not regulate body temperature. Choice B is incorrect as aldosterone increases blood pressure by increasing sodium reabsorption. Choice D is incorrect as aldosterone promotes water retention by increasing sodium reabsorption.

2. A nurse is caring for a client who has a serum calcium level of 14 mg/dL. Which provider order should the nurse implement first?

A. Encourage oral fluid intake.
B. Connect the client to a cardiac monitor.
C. Assess urinary output.
D. Administer oral calcitonin (Calcimar).

Correct answer: A

Rationale: The correct answer is to encourage oral fluid intake. With a serum calcium level of 14 mg/dL, the client is at risk of hypercalcemia. Encouraging oral fluid intake helps to promote hydration and can help prevent further elevation of calcium levels. Connecting the client to a cardiac monitor (Choice B) is important but not the first priority in this situation. Assessing urinary output (Choice C) is relevant but does not address the immediate concern of high serum calcium levels. Administering oral calcitonin (Calcimar) (Choice D) may be a treatment option later, but the first step should be to address hydration.

3. When planning the care of a patient with a fluid imbalance, the nurse understands that in the human body, water and electrolytes move from the arterial capillary bed to the interstitial fluid. What causes this to occur?

A. Active transport of hydrogen ions across the capillary walls
B. Pressure of the blood in the renal capillaries
C. Action of the dissolved particles contained in a unit of blood
D. Hydrostatic pressure resulting from the pumping action of the heart

Correct answer: D

Rationale:

4. The community health nurse is performing a home visit to an 84-year-old woman recovering from hip surgery. The nurse notes that the woman seems uncharacteristically confused and has dry mucous membranes. When asked about her fluid intake, the patient states, I stop drinking water early in the day because it is just too difficult to get up during the night to go to the bathroom. What would be the nurses best response?

A. I will need to have your medications adjusted so you will need to be readmitted to the hospital for a complete workup
B. Limiting your fluids can create imbalances in your body that can result in confusion. Maybe we need to adjust the timing of your fluids.
C. It is normal to be a little confused following surgery, and it is safe not to urinate at night.
D. If you build up too much urine in your bladder, it can cause you to get confused, especially when your body is under stress.

Correct answer: B

Rationale:

5. A client with a serum potassium of 7.5 mEq/L and cardiovascular changes needs immediate intervention. Which prescription should the nurse implement first?

A. Prepare to administer sodium polystyrene sulfate (Kayexalate) 15 g by mouth.
B. Provide a heart-healthy, low-potassium diet.
C. Prepare to administer dextrose 20% and 10 units of regular insulin IV push.
D. Prepare the client for hemodialysis treatment.

Correct answer: C

Rationale: In a client with a serum potassium level of 7.5 mEq/L and cardiovascular changes, the priority intervention is to lower the potassium level quickly to prevent life-threatening complications like arrhythmias. The correct answer is to prepare to administer dextrose 20% and 10 units of regular insulin IV push. This combination helps shift potassium from the extracellular to the intracellular space, reducing serum potassium levels rapidly. Administering sodium polystyrene sulfate (Kayexalate) by mouth may take several hours to work, making it a less effective immediate intervention. Providing a heart-healthy, low-potassium diet is important for long-term management but is not the most urgent action in this situation. While hemodialysis is a definitive treatment for hyperkalemia, it is not the first-line intervention for acute management of high potassium levels with cardiovascular manifestations.