A nurse is preparing to instill 840 mL of enteral nutrition via a patient’s gastrostomy tube over 24 hours using an infusion pump.

How many mL/hr should the nurse set the infusion pump to deliver?

Choice A rationale

0.9% sodium chloride, also known as normal saline, is an isotonic solution that is commonly used for hydration and to replace lost fluids. However, it does not provide any calories or nutrients, which are necessary for patients receiving TPN1.

Choice B rationale

Dextrose 10% in water (D10W) is the recommended solution to administer until the next TPN solution is available. This is a hypertonic fluid that provides dextrose to the patient, helping to maintain their blood glucose levels and reducing the risk of hypoglycemia.

Choice C rationale

3% sodium chloride is a hypertonic saline solution that is typically used to treat patients with severe hyponatremia (low sodium levels). It is not suitable as a replacement for TPN as it does not provide the necessary nutrients and can lead to hypernatremia (high sodium levels) if used inappropriately.

Choice D rationale

Lactated Ringer’s solution is an isotonic solution that is commonly used for fluid resuscitation in patients with significant fluid loss. While it does contain multiple electrolytes that mimic those found in plasma, it does not provide any calories or nutrients, making it unsuitable as a replacement for TPN1.

Choice A rationale

Granulation tissue forming at the bottom of the wound bed is a characteristic of secondary intention healing, not primary intention. In secondary intention, the wound is left open and fills with granulation tissue.

Choice B rationale

A wound that was contaminated at the time of injury would likely require secondary intention healing to allow for cleaning and observation of the wound. This is not typical of primary intention healing.

Choice C rationale

Prolonged healing of the wound is not a characteristic of primary intention healing. In primary intention, the wound edges are brought together (approximated), which allows for rapid healing.

Choice D rationale

In primary intention healing, the skin edges of the wound are sutured closed. This is the most distinctive feature of primary intention healing, as it allows for minimal scar formation and quick healing.