FREE CMSRN Medical-Surgical Nursing Guide Questions and Answers Flashcards
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Read the first 6 FREE CMSRN Medical-Surgical Nursing Guide Questions and Answers flashcards as text
A patient with chronic kidney disease has a potassium level of 6.2 mEq/L. Which intervention should the nurse prioritize?
Answer: Administer sodium polystyrene sulfonate as ordered
Sodium polystyrene sulfonate binds potassium in the GI tract to lower dangerously elevated serum potassium levels.
Which assessment finding in a postoperative patient most strongly suggests the development of a pulmonary embolism?
Answer: Sudden onset of dyspnea with pleuritic chest pain
Sudden dyspnea accompanied by pleuritic chest pain is the hallmark presentation of a pulmonary embolism.
A nurse is caring for a patient receiving a blood transfusion who develops fever, flank pain, and dark urine. What is the priority nursing action?
Answer: Stop the transfusion immediately
These symptoms indicate an acute hemolytic transfusion reaction, requiring immediate cessation of the transfusion to prevent further harm.
Which laboratory value should the nurse monitor most closely in a patient receiving heparin therapy?
Answer: Platelet count and aPTT
Both aPTT for therapeutic effectiveness and platelet count for heparin-induced thrombocytopenia must be monitored during heparin therapy.
A patient with heart failure is prescribed furosemide 40 mg IV. Which electrolyte imbalance should the nurse anticipate?
Answer: Hypokalemia
Furosemide is a loop diuretic that causes significant potassium loss, leading to hypokalemia.
A patient with type 2 diabetes presents with blood glucose of 680 mg/dL, serum osmolality of 340 mOsm/kg, and no ketonuria. Which condition does the nurse suspect?
Answer: Hyperosmolar hyperglycemic state
Extremely elevated glucose with high serum osmolality and absent ketones is characteristic of hyperosmolar hyperglycemic state.