A nurse is assessing a client who is receiving dopamine IV to treat left ventricular failure. Which of the following findings should indicate to the nurse that the medication is having a therapeutic effect?

Choice A Reason: Dextran 70 is not a medication that the nurse should plan to administer for a client who has a traumatic head injury and is exhibiting signs of increasing intracranial pressure. Dextran 70 is a plasma expander that increases the blood volume and viscosity, which can worsen the intracranial pressure by increasing the cerebral blood flow and edema.

Choice B Reason: Hydroxyethyl starch is not a medication that the nurse should plan to administer for a client who has a traumatic head injury and is exhibiting signs of increasing intracranial pressure. Hydroxyethyl starch is another plasma expander that has similar effects as dextran 70, and can also increase the risk of coagulopathy and renal failure.

Choice C Reason: Albumin 25% is not a medication that the nurse should plan to administer for a client who has a traumatic head injury and is exhibiting signs of increasing intracranial pressure. Albumin 25% is a colloid solution that increases the oncotic pressure and draws fluid from the interstitial space into the intravascular space, which can also worsen the intracranial pressure by increasing the cerebral blood flow and edema.

Choice D Reason: Mannitol 25% is a medication that the nurse should plan to administer for a client who has a traumatic head injury and is exhibiting signs of increasing intracranial pressure. Mannitol 25% is an osmotic diuretic that reduces the intracranial pressure by creating an osmotic gradient and drawing fluid from the brain tissue into the blood vessels, which can then be excreted by the kidneys. The nurse should monitor the urine output, serum osmolality, and electrolytes when administering mannitol 25%.

Choice A Reason: This is incorrect because dextrose 5% in 0.9% sodium chloride is a hypertonic solution that can cause fluid overload and pulmonary edema in a client who has burns.

Choice B Reason: This is incorrect because dextrose 5% in water is a hypotonic solution that can cause fluid shifts from the intravascular space to the interstitial space, resulting in hypovolemia and hypotension in a client who has burns.

Choice C Reason: This is incorrect because 0.9% sodium chloride is an isotonic solution that can cause hypernatremia and hyperchloremia in a client who has burns, as the fluid loss from burns is greater than the sodium loss.

Choice D Reason: This is correct because lactated Ringer's is an isotonic solution that contains electrolytes similar to plasma, such as sodium, potassium, calcium, and chloride. It also contains lactate, which is converted to bicarbonate in the liver and helps correct the metabolic acidosis that occurs in a client who has burns.