A nurse is caring for a patient diagnosed with diabetic ketoacidosis.
Which of the following symptoms should the nurse expect?

Potential Condition:

• B. Type 1 diabetes mellitus

The client’s symptoms of fatigue, blurred vision, dizziness, and headache, along with a high blood glucose level and HbA1C, suggest that they are experiencing hyperglycemia, a condition common in individuals with Type 1 diabetes mellitus.

Actions to Take:

• B. Teach the client about the signs of hyperglycemia.
• D. Assess the client’s feet for sensation.

Teaching the client about the signs of hyperglycemia will help them recognize when their blood sugar is high and take appropriate action. Assessing the client’s feet for sensation is also important as diabetes can lead to peripheral neuropathy, which can result in a loss of sensation in the feet.

Parameters to Monitor:

• B. Blood pressure
• D. Fingerstick blood glucose

Monitoring the client’s blood pressure is important as hypertension can be a complication of diabetes. Regularly checking the client’s fingerstick blood glucose levels will help ensure that their diabetes is being effectively managed.

Choice A rationale

Hypoglycemia, or low blood sugar, is a condition that can occur in newborns, especially those born to mothers with gestational diabetes. However, there is no information in the question indicating that the mother had gestational diabetes. Therefore, while hypoglycemia is a possible complication for newborns, it is not the most likely complication in this case based on the information provided.

Choice B rationale

Neonatal abstinence syndrome (NAS) is a group of problems that occur in a newborn who was exposed to addictive opiate drugs while in the mother’s womb. NAS can occur when a pregnant woman takes drugs such as heroin, codeine, oxycodone (Oxycontin), methadone, or buprenorphine. These and other substances pass through the placenta that connects the baby to its mother in the womb and can cause the baby to become dependent on the drug. In this case, the mother’s urine toxicology screen was positive for cocaine and marijuana, both of which are illicit drugs. This puts the newborn at risk for developing NAS2.

Choice C rationale

Respiratory distress syndrome (RDS) is a breathing disorder that affects newborns. RDS is more common in premature babies because their lungs aren’t fully developed. However, the newborn in the question was born at 38 weeks gestation, which is considered full term. Therefore, while RDS is a possible complication for newborns, it is not the most likely complication in this case based on the information provided.

Choice D rationale

Neonatal jaundice is a condition that can occur in newborns due to high levels of bilirubin, a yellow pigment produced during normal breakdown of red blood cells. In older babies and adults, the liver processes bilirubin, which then passes from the body through the stool and urine. However, a newborn’s still-developing liver may not be mature enough to remove this bilirubin. While neonatal jaundice is a common condition, there is no information in the question indicating that the newborn is at risk for developing this complication.