A patient is admitted to the critical care unit with critical hypotension, hyperkalemia, hyponatremia, and hypoglycemia. The most likely cause of this is
a. myxedema. c. addisonian crisis.
b. diabetes insipidus. d. Cushing syndrome.
C
An addisonian crisis is a life-threatening condition in which the adrenal gland is almost nonfunctional, usually because of destruction of adrenal tissue. The patient presents acutely with critical hypotension, an elevated serum potassium level (hyperkalemia), a low serum sodium level (hyponatremia), and hypoglycemia.
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A nurse is describing the use of evidence-based practice (EBP) guidelines to a nursing student. Which explanation of EBP is most accurate?
A. Includes clinical experience and patient preferences B. MEDLINE used as the primary source for EBP information C. Requires the staff to be active participants in research D. Uses research findings to plan interventions for care
A child is in the pediatric intensive care unit 2 hours after a surgical repair of an atrial septal defect (ASD). Postoperative nursing actions include which of the following?
A. Administer pain medication. B. Maintain venous access. C. Monitor chest tube drainage. D. The nurse will take all of these actions.
What would the nurse assess for in a child with a disturbance in the basal ganglia?
A. Ataxia B. Hyperthermia C. Hypotension D. Incontinence
The patient scheduled for his first hemodialysis treatment asks the nurse what common complications may occur from the treatment. The nurse would reply:
A) "High blood sugar levels and low protein levels may occur." B) "Excessive bleeding and double vision may occur." C) "Confusion and diarrhea may occur." D) "Hypotension and cramping may occur."