Endocrine
This is the primary treatment for SIADH.
What is fluid restriction?
Rationale: SIADH causes excess ADH → water retention → dilutional hyponatremia. Restricting fluids corrects sodium imbalance.
This medication is first-line for thyroid storm
What is propylthiouracil (PTU)?
Rationale: PTU blocks thyroid hormone synthesis and peripheral conversion of T4 → T3, making it ideal in thyroid storm.
Pink frothy sputum indicates this condition
What is pulmonary edema?
Rationale: Fluid in alveoli creates pink, frothy sputum due to fluid + blood
This is where the chest drainage system must be kept
What is below chest level?
Rationale: Uses gravity to promote drainage and prevent backflow.
Patients wake up from this sedative in about 5–10 minutes.
What is propofol?
Rationale: Short-acting sedative → rapid onset and quick recovery (5–10 min).
A patient has the following ABG values:
What is the acid-base imbalance and level of compensation?
What is partially compensated respiratory acidosis?
Rationale:
This dangerous neurological complication can occur in SIADH
What is confusion (or cerebral edema)?
Rationale: Low sodium causes fluid to shift into brain cells → swelling → confusion, seizures, coma.
Fever and tremors indicate this endocrine emergency
What is thyroid storm?
Rationale: Hypermetabolic crisis with fever, tachycardia, tremors—life-threatening.
This is the biggest risk factor for ventilator-associated pneumonia (VAP)
What is mechanical ventilation?
Rationale: Intubation bypasses natural defenses → increased infection risk (VAP)
This action should never be done to a chest tube
What is milking/stripping the tube?
Rationale: Can create high negative pressure → tissue damage.
This medication reverses benzodiazepines.
What is flumazenil?
Rationale: Benzodiazepine antagonist that reverses sedation.
A patient’s ABG results are:
What is the acid-base imbalance and level of compensation?
What is uncompensated respiratory alkalosis?
Rationale:
This electrolyte must be monitored closely when treating DKA with insulin
What is potassium?
Rationale: Insulin drives potassium into cells → can cause dangerous hypokalemia → risk for arrhythmias.
This "eye" sign is seen in hyperthyroidism
What is exophthalmos?
Rationale: Autoimmune inflammation (Graves’) causes protrusion of the eyes
This ventilator setting keeps alveoli open at end expiration
What is PEEP (positive end-expiratory pressure)?
Rationale: Prevents alveolar collapse → improves oxygenation
Continuous bubbling in the water seal chamber indicates this
What is an air leak?
Rationale: Continuous bubbling = air entering system abnormally.
A mechanically ventilated patient has a RASS score of +3.
What is the most appropriate nursing action regarding sedation?
What is increase sedation?
A score of +3 means the patient is under-sedated, which is dangerous because they can:
A patient’s ABG shows:
What is the acid-base imbalance and level of compensation?
What is fully compensated respiratory acidosis?
Rationale:
This condition has no ketones but severe hyperglycemia
What is HHS?
Rationale: HHS has extreme hyperglycemia without ketosis because some insulin is still present
This life-threatening hypothyroid condition may require ventilation
What is myxedema coma?
Rationale: Severe hypothyroidism → decreased metabolism → respiratory failure, may require ventilation
This positioning improves oxygenation in ARDS
What is prone positioning?
Rationale: Improves ventilation-perfusion matching in ARDS
This emergency intervention treats tension pneumothorax
What is needle decompression?
Rationale: Rapidly releases trapped air in tension pneumothorax → life-saving
This sedative allows patients to follow commands while intubated
What is dexmedetomidine?
Rationale: Provides sedation while allowing patient to remain arousable and cooperative.
A patient with uncontrolled diabetes presents with Kussmaul respirations. Which ABG pattern would you expect?
What is metabolic acidosis with respiratory compensation?
(Low pH, low HCO₃⁻, low CO₂)
Rationale:
This lab value reflects dehydration severity in DKA
What is serum osmolality?
Rationale: Reflects dehydration severity; high in DKA due to glucose and fluid loss
This is how PTU works
What is decreased thyroid hormone production?
Rationale: PTU inhibits thyroid peroxidase → blocks hormone synthesis
This value is monitored for improvement in ARDS
What is PaCO₂?
Rationale: Indicates ventilation effectiveness; improving ARDS often shows better CO₂ clearance
This condition causes paradoxical chest wall movement
What is flail chest?
Rationale: Multiple rib fractures → chest wall moves opposite (paradoxical movement).
These trials are performed daily to assess readiness for extubation.
What are spontaneous breathing trials?
Rationale: Assess readiness to wean from ventilator.
A patient is having a panic attack with rapid breathing. Which ABG pattern would you expect?
What is respiratory alkalosis?
(High pH, low CO₂)
Rationale: