Endocrine Nursing Flashcards
7 cards from real MSNCB practice questions. Tap to flip, then mark Knew It or Still Learning — missed cards come back until you master them.
Read the first 7 Endocrine Nursing flashcards as text
A patient with type 1 diabetes presents with blood glucose of 42 mg/dL, diaphoresis, and confusion. Which intervention should the nurse perform FIRST?
Answer: Give 15-20g of fast-acting carbohydrate orally
If the patient can swallow safely, oral fast-acting carbohydrates (15-20g) are the first-line treatment for mild-to-moderate hypoglycemia.
Which laboratory finding is MOST consistent with primary hypothyroidism?
Answer: High TSH and low T4
Primary hypothyroidism is characterized by elevated TSH (pituitary compensation) and low T4 due to inadequate thyroid gland function.
A patient post-thyroidectomy develops perioral tingling and a positive Chvostek's sign. The nurse should anticipate administering:
Answer: Calcium gluconate IV
Positive Chvostek's sign with perioral tingling indicates hypocalcemia, a common complication after thyroidectomy due to inadvertent parathyroid removal.
When teaching a patient about metformin therapy for type 2 diabetes, the nurse should instruct the patient to withhold the medication before:
Answer: Iodinated contrast dye procedures
Metformin should be held 48 hours before iodinated contrast procedures due to the risk of contrast-induced nephropathy leading to lactic acidosis.
A patient with Cushing's syndrome would be expected to exhibit which combination of findings?
Answer: Hypertension, central obesity, and purple striae
Cushing's syndrome is caused by excess cortisol and presents with hypertension, central obesity, moon face, buffalo hump, and purple striae.
Which electrolyte imbalance is MOST commonly associated with hyperaldosteronism (Conn's syndrome)?
Answer: Hypokalemia and hypernatremia
Excess aldosterone promotes sodium retention and potassium excretion, resulting in hypokalemia and hypernatremia with resultant hypertension.
A patient with DKA has an arterial blood gas showing pH 7.18, PaCO2 28 mmHg, HCO3 10 mEq/L. The nurse recognizes this as:
Answer: Metabolic acidosis with respiratory compensation
DKA causes metabolic acidosis (low pH, low HCO3); the low PaCO2 reflects respiratory compensation (Kussmaul respirations blowing off CO2).