A nurse is caring for a client who is scheduled for surgical repair of a femur fracture and has a prescription for lorazepam preoperatively. Which of the following statements made by the client should indicate to the nurse that the medication has been effective?

Let's calculate the rate for the IV infusion.

We are given:

Volume to be infused: 400 mL

Infusion time: 8 hours

Drop factor: 60 gtt/mL

We need to find the rate in gtt/min.

Here's how we can do it:

Convert hours to minutes: Since the rate is required in minutes, we need to convert the infusion time from hours to minutes. There are 60 minutes in 1 hour. Therefore, total infusion time in minutes = 8 hours x 60 minutes/hour = 480 minutes

Calculate total number of drips: We can find the total number of drips to be delivered by multiplying the volume (in mL) by the drop factor (gtt/mL). Total drips = Volume (mL) x Drop factor (gtt/mL) = 400 mL x 60 gtt/mL = 24000 gtt

Calculate drip rate (gtt/min): Finally, we can calculate the rate by dividing the total number of drips by the total infusion time in minutes. Rate (gtt/min) = Total drips (gtt) / Total time (minutes) = 24000 gtt / 480 minutes = 50 gtt/min

Therefore, the nurse should set the manual IV infusion to deliver approximately 50 gtt/min.

(A) Diarrhea: Diarrhea is typically associated with gastrointestinal disorders. It involves frequent loose or watery stools, which is not a symptom of respiratory alkalosis. Respiratory alkalosis is a condition that affects the respiratory system, causing an increase in the rate or depth of respiration, leading to a decrease in the concentration of carbon dioxide in the blood.

(B) Hyperventilation: Hyperventilation is indeed a common finding in respiratory alkalosis. When a person hyperventilates, they breathe out more carbon dioxide than their body produces. This lowers the level of carbon dioxide in the blood, leading to a rise in blood pH and causing the blood to become more alkaline - a state known as alkalosis.

(C) Dry skin: Dry skin is not typically associated with respiratory alkalosis. It’s more common in conditions like dehydration or skin disorders. Respiratory alkalosis is a condition that affects the respiratory system and the balance of acids and bases in the blood, not the skin.

(D) Abdominal pain: Abdominal pain is not typically associated with respiratory alkalosis. It’s more common in gastrointestinal disorders. Respiratory alkalosis is a condition that affects the respiratory system and the balance of acids and bases in the blood, not the digestive system.