The prescriber orders furosemide 80 mg for a patient who has been retaining extra fluid after surgery. The nurse notes the following: BP of 142/88 (lying) and 108/60 (sitting); daily weight of 154 lb, a 1-lb drop from day before; serum potassium of 2.8 mEq/L.
What should the nurse do?
Administer medication.
Contact provider.
Hold medication
Give potassium supplement
The Correct Answer is B
The nurse should contact the provider before administering furosemide because the patient has a low serum potassium level of 2.8 mEq/L, which is below the normal range of 3.5 to 5.0 mEq/L. Furosemide is a diuretic that can cause potassium loss and worsen hypokalemia, which can lead to cardiac arrhythmias, muscle weakness, and fatigue. The nurse should also monitor the patient’s blood pressure, weight, and urine output, as furosemide can lower blood pressure and cause dehydration.
Choice A. Administer medication is wrong because the nurse should not give furosemide without checking with the provider first, as it could be harmful to the patient with low potassium.
Choice C. Hold medication is wrong because the nurse should not withhold furosemide without a valid reason or an order from the provider, as it could cause fluid overload and worsen the patient’s condition.
Choice D. Give potassium supplement is wrong because the nurse should not give potassium supplement without an order from the provider, as it could cause hyperkalemia or interact with other medications.
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Related Questions
Correct Answer is D
Explanation
Report any muscle pain or weakness to the healthcare provider.This is because simvastatin This is because simvastatin can cause a rare but serious side effect of muscle damage (rhabdomyolysis), which can lead to kidney failure.Muscle pain or weakness can be signs of muscle breakdown and kidney damage, and should be reported to the healthcare provider as soon as possible.
Choice A is wrong because changing position slowly when rising from a chair is not related to simvastatin.This is a precaution for people who take medications that lower blood pressure, such as diuretics or beta blockers, to prevent dizziness or fainting.
Choice B is wrong because maintaining a steady intake of green leafy vegetables is not specific to simvastatin.This is a general dietary recommendation for people who take anticoagulants, such as warfarin, to prevent bleeding complications.
Choice C is wrong because consuming no more than 1 L/day of fluid is not advised for people who take simvastatin.This is a restriction for people who have heart failure or kidney disease, to prevent fluid overload.People who take simvastatin should drink enough fluids to stay hydrated and avoid dehydration, which can increase the risk of kidney damage.
Correct Answer is C
Explanation
Anticoagulants are medicines that increase the time it takes for blood to clot.They do not dissolve existing clots, but they can stop them from getting bigger or prevent new clots from forming.Anticoagulants work by interfering with different steps of the blood coagulation pathway, which is a complex process that involves many clotting factors.
Choice A is wrong because anticoagulants do not dissolve existing clots.To dissolve clots, you need medicines called thrombolytics or fibrinolytics, which break down the fibrin that holds the clots together.
Choice B is wrong because anticoagulants do not transport platelets.
Platelets are blood cells that help with clotting by sticking together and forming a plug at the site of an injury.Anticoagulants may affect the function of platelets, but they do not move them around.
Choice D is wrong because anticoagulants do not increase blood viscosity.
Viscosity is a measure of how thick and sticky a fluid is.
Anticoagulants are sometimes called blood thinners, but they do not actually change the viscosity of blood.They just make it less likely to clot.
Normal ranges for blood clotting tests vary depending on the type of test and the laboratory that performs it.
Some common tests and their normal ranges are:
• Prothrombin time (PT): 11 to 13.5 seconds
• International normalized ratio (INR): 0.8 to 1.2
• Activated partial thromboplastin time (aPTT): 25 to 35 seconds
• Anti-factor Xa: 0.3 to 0.7 units/mL
• D-dimer: less than 0.5 mcg/mL
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