AKI Basics
Lab Detective
Medications & Kidneys
Clinical Priorities
Dialysis & CRRT
100

AKI stands for:

What is Acute Kidney Injury

100

Which lab is most commonly used to assess kidney function?

Creatinine

100

Name one common nephrotoxic medication.

  • Vancomycin
  • Gentamicin
  • NSAIDs
100

Which assessment is most important for monitoring kidney perfusion?

Urine output

100

What does CRRT stand for?

Continuous Renal Replacement Therapy

200

Which urine output is considered oliguria?

A. <100 mL/hr

B. <50 mL/hr

C. <30 mL/hr

D. <0.5 mL/kg/hr

What is <0.5 mL/kg/hr

200

A patient's creatinine increased from 0.8 to 1.6 in 24 hours. What should the nurse recognize?

Possible AKI

200

True or False:
Patients with AKI often require medication dose adjustments.

True

200

Urine output is 15 mL/hr for three hours. What should the nurse do?

Assess and escalate/provider notification

200

Which patient is more likely to receive CRRT than intermittent dialysis?

Hemodynamically unstable patient

300

Name the three major categories of AKI.

What is 

  • Pre-renal
  • Intrinsic (Intra-renal)
  • Post-renal
300

Which electrolyte commonly increases during AKI?

Potassium

300

A provider orders ibuprofen for a patient with worsening AKI. What concern should the nurse have?

NSAIDs can worsen kidney injury.

300

A bladder scan shows 850 mL. The patient has not voided for 8 hours. What type of AKI may be occurring?

Post-renal

300

Name one indication for dialysis.

  • Hyperkalemia
  • Fluid overload
  • Severe acidosis
  • Uremia

Remember A E I O U 

400

A patient has severe dehydration from vomiting and diarrhea. What type of AKI is most likely?

What is Pre-renal

400

Why is hyperkalemia dangerous?

Life-threatening cardiac dysrhythmias

400

What question should a nurse ask before a patient receives contrast dye?

Does the patient have impaired kidney function/AKI?

400

Which intervention is most appropriate for a dehydrated patient with pre-renal AKI?

Fluid resuscitation

400

A patient remains severely hyperkalemic despite treatment. What escalation should the nurse anticipate?

Dialysis/CRRT

500

A patient develops AKI after IV contrast and prolonged hypotension. What intrinsic kidney injury is most likely?

What is Acute Tubular Necrosis (ATN)?

500

A patient has:

  • K+ 6.5
  • Peaked T waves

What is the priority concern?

Cardiac arrest/arrhythmias

500

A septic patient on vancomycin develops rising creatinine levels. What should the nurse monitor closely?

Drug levels and worsening renal function

500

A patient with AKI develops:

  • Crackles
  • Increasing oxygen needs
  • Edema

What complication is occurring?

Fluid overload

500

The Deteriorating Kidney

Patient:

  • Septic shock
  • BP 78/40
  • UO 10 mL/hr
  • Cr 1.0 → 2.7
  • K 6.3

List 3 nursing priorities.

  • Escalate provider notification
  • Monitor/treat hyperkalemia
  • Strict I&O
  • Assess perfusion
  • Anticipate CRRT/dialysis
  • Review nephrotoxic medications