Endocrine
A patient with this condition presents with polyuria, polydipsia, low urine specific gravity, and hypernatremia due to lack of ADH.
What is Diabetes Insipidus (DI)?
This type of rejection occurs minutes to hours after transplant due to pre-existing antibodies.
What is hyperacute rejection?
The nurse suspects this life-threatening condition when a patient has sudden severe abdominal or back pain, hypotension, and a pulsating abdominal mass.
What is an Abdominal Aortic Aneurysm (AAA)?
This infection requires soap and water handwashing instead of alcohol sanitizer because the organism forms spores.
What is Clostridioides difficile (C. diff)?
This antibiotic class commonly causes tendon rupture or tendinopathy, especially in older adults.
What are fluoroquinolones (e.g., ciprofloxacin or levofloxacin)?
A patient with confusion, serum glucose of 750 mg/dL, severe dehydration, and no significant ketones is experiencing this emergency.
What is Hyperglycemic Hyperosmolar State (HHS)?
This type of rejection occurs within weeks to months and is treated with immunosuppressants.
What is acute rejection?
A patient receiving alteplase (tPA) for ischemic stroke suddenly develops severe headache, vomiting, and decreased level of consciousness.
The nurse recognizes this life-threatening complication.
What is intracranial hemorrhage?
A nurse is preparing to obtain blood cultures for suspected sepsis.
To ensure accuracy, cultures must be drawn using this technique.
What is two separate sterile venipunctures before starting antibiotics?
This antibiotic should not be taken with milk and is contraindicated in pregnancy because it stains developing teeth.
What is doxycycline (tetracycline)?
A patient with DKA has the following labs: glucose 520 mg/dL, potassium 5.8 mEq/L, pH 7.20.
Before insulin is started, the nurse anticipates this critical treatment priority.
What is aggressive IV fluid replacement?
A kidney transplant patient develops decreased urine output, fever, and rising creatinine two weeks after surgery.
The nurse suspects this complication.
What is acute organ rejection?
A patient with AAA suddenly reports severe back pain and becomes hypotensive. The nurse recognizes this as a surgical emergency and performs this action first.
What is activating rapid response and preparing for immediate surgery?
An older adult hospitalized for pneumonia suddenly becomes confused and restless. Vital signs show temperature 101.5°F and HR 110.
The nurse recognizes these findings as early cues of this condition.
What is infection or sepsis?
A patient receiving desmopressin for diabetes insipidus begins to experience headache, confusion, and nausea.
These findings indicate this potentially dangerous complication.
What is water intoxication or hyponatremia?
A patient with SIADH has sodium of 118 mEq/L and develops confusion and seizures.
This priority intervention is required to prevent neurological deterioration.
What is administering hypertonic saline (3% NaCl)?
A transplant patient asks why they must take immunosuppressants for life.
The nurse explains this is necessary to prevent this immune response.
What is the body recognizing the transplanted organ as foreign and attacking it?
A patient arrives to the ED with sudden right-sided weakness and slurred speech that began 45 minutes ago.
Before administering thrombolytic therapy, the nurse anticipates this priority diagnostic test.
What is a non-contrast CT scan of the head?
A postoperative patient has a surgical incision with increasing redness, warmth, purulent drainage, and a temperature of 101°F.
The nurse recognizes these findings as evidence of this complication.
What is a surgical site infection?
A transplant patient taking tacrolimus reports drinking grapefruit juice daily.
The nurse recognizes this increases the risk for this complication.
What is toxic drug levels?
A patient with HHS has glucose 750 mg/dL and severe dehydration. After initiating insulin therapy, the nurse must closely monitor this electrolyte because levels will rapidly drop once insulin shifts glucose intracellularly.
What is potassium?
A transplant patient taking tacrolimus and corticosteroids presents with fever and cough.
The nurse recognizes the most likely cause of this complication.
What is infection due to immunosuppression?
A stroke patient is NPO due to dysphagia and begins coughing while attempting to drink water.
The nurse recognizes this complication and initiates this priority action to prevent it.
What is keeping the patient NPO and requesting a swallow evaluation to prevent aspiration?
A nurse removes PPE in the following order: gown → gloves → mask.
This error increases the risk of contamination because this item should have been removed first.
What are gloves?
A patient receiving Amphotericin B develops chills, fever, and hypotension during infusion.
The nurse anticipates administering this medication to reduce the reaction.
What are antipyretics or antihistamines?