A nurse is assisting with the care of a client who has respiratory alkalosis and is hyperventilating.
What action should the nurse take?
Plan to administer insulin to the client.
Have the client breathe into a paper bag.
Plan to administer sodium bicarbonate to the client.
Have the client place their head between their knees.
The Correct Answer is B
Choice A rationale:
Administering insulin to a client who is hyperventilating due to respiratory alkalosis would not be the appropriate action. Insulin is used to lower blood glucose levels in clients with hyperglycemia, such as those with diabetes mellitus. It does not directly address the issues of hyperventilation or respiratory alkalosis.
Choice B rationale:
Having the client breathe into a paper bag is the correct action in this case. When a person hyperventilates, they exhale more carbon dioxide (CO2) than they produce. This can lead to a state of respiratory alkalosis, where the blood becomes too alkaline due to the low levels of CO2. By breathing into a paper bag, the client re-inhales some of the exhaled CO2, helping to restore the balance of gases in the blood and alleviate the symptoms of respiratory alkalosis.

Choice C rationale:
Administering sodium bicarbonate to a client who is hyperventilating and has respiratory alkalosis would not be the appropriate action. Sodium bicarbonate is an alkalinizing agent used to treat conditions where there is too much acid in the body, such as metabolic acidosis. In this case, the client’s body is too alkaline due to the respiratory alkalosis, so administering an alkalinizing agent would exacerbate the condition.
Choice D rationale:
Having the client place their head between their knees would not be the appropriate action for a client who is hyperventilating due to respiratory alkalosis. This position is often used to help alleviate symptoms of dizziness or fainting, but it does not address the underlying issue of the imbalance of gases in the blood due to hyperventilation.
Nursing Test Bank
Naxlex Comprehensive Predictor Exams
Related Questions
Correct Answer is C
Explanation
Choice A rationale:
Hypothermia, or abnormally low body temperature, is not typically a symptom of diarrhea. While it’s possible for a person with severe diarrhea to experience chills or feel cold, hypothermia is not a direct result of diarrhea.
Choice B rationale:
A rigid abdomen is often a sign of a serious condition like peritonitis (inflammation of the peritoneum, the tissue that lines the inner wall of the abdomen), but it is not typically associated with diarrhea.
Choice C rationale:
Dehydration is a common complication of diarrhea. When a person has diarrhea, they can lose a lot of fluid and electrolytes quickly, leading to dehydration. Symptoms of dehydration can include thirst, less frequent urination, dark-colored urine, fatigue, dizziness, and confusion.
Choice D rationale:
Decreased bowel sounds are not typically associated with diarrhea. In fact, bowel sounds may actually increase in some cases of diarrhea due to increased gut motility.
Correct Answer is B
Explanation
Choice A rationale:
Collecting urine from the catheter’s port is not the correct procedure when collecting a urine specimen for culture and sensitivity through straight catheterization. The port is not a sterile environment and could contaminate the specimen, leading to inaccurate results.
Choice B rationale:
Using a sterile specimen container is the correct procedure. This ensures that the specimen is not contaminated by any external bacteria or substances, which could affect the results of the culture and sensitivity test. The container must be sterile to prevent the growth of microbes that are not present in the urine sample. This helps to ensure that the results of the culture are accurate and reflect the microbes present in the urine, not those introduced during collection.
Choice C rationale:
Inflating the balloon with sterile water is not a step in this procedure. The balloon is part of an indwelling catheter, not a straight catheter. An indwelling catheter remains in the bladder for a longer period, and the balloon is inflated to keep it in place. A straight catheter is used for a single voiding or to obtain a sterile urine specimen.
Choice D rationale:
Instructing the patient to clean from front to back with an antiseptic solution is not a step in this procedure. While maintaining cleanliness is important, this specific instruction is more relevant to a clean-catch midstream urine specimen, not a specimen collected through straight catheterization.
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