Reviewing a patient's report of laboratory test results (see accompanying box), the nurse realizes that which values are critical for the patient with a decreased level of consciousness?
1. Glucose and serum osmolality
2. Sodium and potassium levels
3. Sodium and white blood cell count
4. Glucose and white blood cell count
1
Rationale 1: Blood glucose is measured immediately when coma or decreased LOC is of unknown origin. When the glucose falls to less than 50 mg/dl, cerebral function declines rapidly and hypoglycemia should be suspected. Serum osmolality of less than 250 mOsm/kg H2O leads to cerebral edema and swelling, impairing consciousness.
Rationale 2: The sodium and potassium levels are normal.
Rationale 3: The sodium and white blood cell count are normal.
Rationale 4: The white blood cell count is normal.
You might also like to view...
A patient is being treated for a severe fungal infection with amphotericin B. What is the expected length of treatment for this patient?
A) 1 to 2 weeks B) 3 to 6 weeks C) 4 to 12 weeks D) 15 to 18 weeks
What can a nurse researcher use to restrict the study population to homogeneous groups of subjects?
a. Sampling b. Self-selection c. Eligibility criteria d. Defining study limitations
When assessing the patient's vision, the nurse should understand that older adults may report common aging changes, including which of the following? (Select all that apply.)
a. "My eyelids droop so unattractively." b. "The whites on my eyes seem a bit yel-low." c. "The vision in my right eye seems blurry." d. "I've started to use over-the-counter eye moisturizing drops." e. "I have noticed the night driving has be-come more difficult."
Zofran 8 mg IV every 6 hours as needed for nausea is ordered. The medication is available in a 2-mg/mL concentration. How many milliliters would the nurse administer with each dose? ________
Fill in the blank(s) with correct word