The nurse is caring for a patient with thinning of the nails. Which test result should the nurse use to aid in the diagnosis of this nail disorder?
1. pulse oximetry
2. hemoglobin
3. serum albumin
4. white blood cell count
Correct Answer: 3
Thinning of the nails in seen in nutritional deficiencies. One laboratory test to assess for nutritional deficiencies is a serum albumin level. Pulse oximetry measures the oxygen level of the blood. Decreased oxygenation might cause nail thickening. Hemoglobin measures red blood cell oxygen-carrying capacity. If the patient has a hemoglobin problem, the nails would be spoon-shaped. A white blood cell count is used to check for an infection. The nails would appear to be inflamed or separating from the nail bed.
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Fill in the blank(s) with the appropriate word(s).
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