How would acid-base balance be affected in a person who has low levels of hemoglobin?
A. Acid-base balance would be unaffected, because hemoglobin has no role in ac-id-base balance.
B. Low levels of hemoglobin would reduce the amount of oxygen available to tis-sues and increase the formation of hydrogen ions.
C. Because hemoglobin and bicarbonate have opposite actions, low levels of he-moglobin would result in a slightly more alkaline environment of the blood.
D. Because hemoglobin serves as a major intracellular protein buffer, the person with low hemoglobin levels would be less able to compensate for mild acidosis.
D
When the hydrogen ion concentration of the blood increases, the hydrogen ions cross the plasma membranes into red blood cells, where they can be buffered by intracellular hemoglobin. Thus, decreased hemoglobin levels result in reduced buffering capacity, increasing the risk for acidosis.
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A patient's physician is considering the addition of efavirenz to the patient's drug regimen for the treatment of his recently-diagnosed HIV
Which of the following aspects of the patient's medical history should prompt the nurse to question the use of this drug? A) The patient has a diagnosis of type 2 diabetes and did not consistently monitor his blood glucose levels prior to his diagnosis with HIV. B) The patient experienced an adverse reaction to an influenza immunization several years ago. C) The patient's body mass index at the time of diagnosis was 27 (overweight). D) The patient has hepatitis C and a history of heavy alcohol use.
If a nurse wants to become more creative, which method would be most effective?
1. Watch others implement creative solutions. 2. Work with a group to implement a solution. 3. Evaluate the effectiveness of creative solutions. 4. Practice the steps of the process as often as possible.
Phenytoin (Dilantin) has a narrow therapeutic index. The nurse recognizes that this characteristic indicates which of these?
a. The safe and the toxic plasma levels of the drug are very close to each other. b. The phenytoin has a low chance of being effective. c. There is no difference between safe and toxic plasma levels. d. A very small dosage can result in the desired therapeutic effect.
Which of the following should you do to minimize the amount of an ocular medication that is absorbed systemically?
1. Place the drops directly on the eyeball. 2. Try to put the drops under the upper lid. 3. Administer half the scheduled dose. 4. Apply pressure over the nasolacrimal duct during administration.