Fluid Balance
This is the best daily indicator of fluid balance in a patient.
Daily weight
This electrolyte is the primary regulator of extracellular fluid volume.
What is sodium?
Normal pH range of arterial blood.
What is 7.35–7.45?
Confusion, seizures, and serum sodium of 118 are signs of this condition.
What is hyponatremia?
For a patient with hypernatremia, the nurse should encourage this type of fluid intake.
What is oral water/low-sodium fluids?
Swelling in the tissues caused by fluid accumulation is called this.
What is edema?
This electrolyte plays the biggest role in cardiac muscle conduction and rhythm.
What is potassium?
ABG shows: pH 7.28, PaCO 60, HCO 24.
What is respiratory acidosis?
Muscle weakness, fatigue, cardiac arrhythmias, and severe complications such as respiratory paralysis.
What is hypokalemia?
This should always be placed at the bedside of a patient receiving IV potassium.
What is a cardiac monitor?
A patient with hypotension, dry mucous membranes, and poor skin turgor likely has this condition.
What is dehydration/hypovolemia?
What foods would you recommend for your hypo calcemic patient?
What are dairy products and dark green leafy veggies (veggies are a better source than dairy)?
A diabetic with DKA usually presents with this acid–base imbalance.
What is metabolic acidosis?
This imbalance often accompanies chronic alcoholism and can cause tremors or seizures.
What is hypomagnesemia?
First nursing action for a patient with respiratory alkalosis due to anxiety.
What is coach slow breathing or have them breathe into hands/paper bag?
Name the three fluid compartments in the body.
What are intracellular, intravascular (plasma), and interstitial?
This electrolyte helps relax muscles and is often lost with alcoholism or diuretics.
What is magnesium?
A patient who has been vomiting for 3 days is at risk for this imbalance.
What is metabolic alkalosis?
A nurse would expect to see a decrease in this specific gravity measurement in a patient with fluid volume deficit.
What is urine specific gravity (it would actually increase)?
Best way to monitor improvement in a patient with fluid overload on diuretics.
What is daily weight and lung sounds?
Giving too much hypotonic IV fluid can cause this dangerous complication in the brain.
What is cerebral edema?
Name one cause of hyperkalemia and one nursing intervention.
Causes: renal failure, tissue breakdown, potassium-sparing diuretics. Interventions: kayexalate, insulin with glucose, dialysis, monitor ECG
What 3 systems does the body use to maintain PH?
What are buffers (like bicarb immediate action), respiratory systems (minutes, CO2 control), and kidneys (hours to days, HCO3)
A patient with numbness and tingling around the mouth, muscle cramps, and a positive Chvostek's sign is exhibiting signs of a deficiency in this electrolyte.
What is calcium (hypocalcemia)?
When administering IV fluids to a dehydrated patient, the nurse must monitor for this complication, especially in older adults or those with heart failure.
What is fluid overload (or fluid volume excess)?