The client has been diagnosed with chronic kidney disease (CKD).
Which of the following lab values should the nurse monitor to assess for renal function?
Blood glucose level.
Serum creatinine level.
Serum albumin level.
White blood cell count.
The Correct Answer is B
Serum creatinine is a waste product that comes from muscle activity and is normally removed by the kidneys.
When the kidneys are damaged, the serum creatinine level rises.
The glomerular filtration rate (GFR) is a measure of how well the kidneys are filtering the blood and it is calculated from the serum creatinine level.
A normal GFR is 60 or more, while a GFR below 60 may indicate kidney disease.
Therefore, monitoring the serum creatinine level and the GFR can help assess the renal function in CKD.
Choice A is wrong because blood glucose level is not a direct indicator of renal function, although high blood glucose can damage the kidneys over time.
Choice C is wrong because serum albumin level is not a specific marker of renal function, although low serum albumin can be caused by protein loss in the urine due to kidney damage.
Choice D is wrong because white blood cell count is not related to renal function, but rather to immune system activity and infection.
Normal ranges for serum creatinine are 0.6 to 1.2 mg/dL for men and 0.5 to 1.1 mg/dL for women.
Normal ranges for GFR are 90 to 120 mL/min.
Normal ranges for serum albumin are 3.4 to 5.4 g/dL1.
Normal ranges for white blood cell count are 4,000 to 11,000 cells per microliter.
Nursing Test Bank
Naxlex Comprehensive Predictor Exams
Related Questions
Correct Answer is ["B","C","D"]
Explanation
Hypercalcemia is a condition in which the calcium level in the blood is above normal.
This can cause various symptoms, such as confusion, constipation, and bradycardia (slow heart rate).
These are the clinical manifestations that the nurse would expect to observe in a client with hypercalcemia.
Choice A is wrong because muscle spasms are not a common symptom of hypercalcemia.
In fact, hypercalcemia can cause muscle weakness and pain.
Choice E is wrong because polyuria (excessive urination) is not a direct symptom of hypercalcemia, but rather a result of kidney problems caused by hypercalcemia.
Hypercalcemia can make the kidneys work harder to filter the excess calcium, leading to dehydration and thirst.
However, this does not necessarily mean that the client will have polyuria.
Normal ranges for calcium levels in the blood are 8.5 to 10.2 mg/dL (milligrams per deciliter) or 2.1 to 2.6 mmol/L (millimoles per liter).
Correct Answer is B
Explanation
This is because hyponatremia is a condition where sodium levels in your blood are lower than normal, usually due to too much water in your body that dilutes the sodium. A hypertonic saline solution is a fluid that has a higher concentration of sodium than blood, and it can help restore the normal sodium balance by drawing water out of the cells.
Choice A is wrong because restricting fluid intake may not be enough to correct severe hyponatremia, and it may worsen the symptoms of dehydration.
Choice C is wrong because encouraging increased fluid intake will further lower the sodium levels and increase the risk of complications such as brain swelling.
Choice D is wrong because administering a loop diuretic will cause more sodium and water loss from the kidneys, which can worsen hyponatremia and dehydration.
Normal ranges for blood sodium levels are between 135 and 145 milliequivalents per liter (mEq/L).
Hyponatremia is defined as a blood sodium level below 135 mEq/L1.
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