Lab Values

Question 1

Serum Potassium Normal Levels?

Answer 1

3.5 to 5.0 mEq/L

Question 2

HypoKalemia (Serum Potassium Low levels)?

Answer 2

lower than 3.5 mEq

Potassium Deficit

Question 3

Potassium Common Food Sources?

Answer 3

Potatoes or Pork
Oranges 
Tomatoes
Avocado
Strawberries
Spinach
I (Fish)
U (Mushrooms)
Melon (Cantelope)

**Bananas, Rasins, Veal, Carrots

Question 4

How Can potassium be administered?

Answer 4

• Never IV push, IM or SQ
• Must be diluted and administered using an infusion device
• Can cause phlebitis, monitoring closely for infiltration. Stop immediately.

Question 5

HyperKalemia (Serum Potassium High Levels)?

Answer 5

Exceeds 5.0 mEq

Question 6

What is pseudohyperkalemia?

Answer 6

A condition that can occur due to methods of blood specimen collection and cell lysis. (no clinical symptoms) redraw and evaluate.

Question 7

HypoKalemia Cardiac Monitoring Changes?

Answer 7

Electrocardiogram changes:

• ST depression
• Shallow, flat or inverted T waves
• Prominent U wave

Question 8

HyperKalemia Cardiac Monitoring Changes?

Answer 8

Electrocardiogram changes:

• Tall peaked T waves
• Flat P waves
• Widened QRS complexes
• Prolonged PR intervals

Question 9

Hypocalcaemia Cardiac Monitoring Changes?

Answer 9

• Prolonged ST Segment

* Prolonged QT Segment

Question 10

Hyperkalemia Cardiac Monitoring Changes?

Answer 10

• Shortened ST segment

* Widened T wave

Question 11

Hypomagnesmia Cardiac Monitoring Changes?

Answer 11

• Tall T waves

* Depressed St segment

Question 12

Hypermagnesemia Cardiac Monitoring Changes?

Answer 12

• Prolonged PR interval

* Widened QRS complexes

Question 13

Hypokalemia Cardiovascular changes?

Answer 13

• Thready, weak, irregular pulse
• Weak Peripheral pulses
• Orthostatic hypotension

Question 14

Hypokalemia Respiratory Changes?

Answer 14

• Shallow, ineffective respirations that result from profound weakness of the skeletal muscles of respirations
• Diminished breath sounds

Question 15

Hypokalemia Neuromuscular Changes?

Answer 15

• Anxiety, Lethargy, confusion, coma
• Skeletal muscle weakness, leg cramps
• Loss off tactile discrimination
• Paresthesias
• Deep tendon hyporeflexia

Question 16

Hypokalemia Gastrointestinal Changes?

Answer 16

• Decreased motility, hypoactive to absent bowel sounds
• Nausea, vomiting, constipation, abdominal distention
• Paralytic ileus

Question 17

What is fluid volume deficit?

Answer 17

Dehydration occurs when fluid intake of the body is not sufficient.

Question 18

What treatment is used for fluid volume deficit?

Answer 18

restore fluid volume, replace electrolytes, eliminate the cause of the fluid deficit

Question 19

What are the types of fluid volume deficit?

Answer 19

• Isotonic dehydration
• Hypertonic dehydration
• Hypotonic dehydration

Question 20

Isotonic dehydrations is also known as?

Answer 20

• Water and dissolved electrolytes are lost in equal proportions
• hypovolemia (most common of all dehydration)
• decrease in circulating blood volume and inadequate tissue perfusion

Question 21

What are the causes of Isotonic dehydration?

Answer 21

• Inadequate intake of fluids and solutes
• Fluid shits between compartments
• Excessive losses of isotonic body fluids

Question 22

What is hypertonic dehydration?

Answer 22

• Water loss exceeds electrolyte loss
• Fluid moves from the intracellular compartment into the plasma and interstitial fluid spaces causing cellular dehydration and shrinkage.

Question 23

What are the causes of Hypertonic dehydration?

Answer 23

*Condition that increase fluid loss= excessive perspiration, hyperventilation, ketoacidosis, prolonged fevers, diarrhea, early stage kidney disease, and diabetes insipidus

Question 24

What is Hypotonic dehydration?

Answer 24

• Electrolyte loss exceeds water loss
• Fluid shifts between compartments causing a decrease in plasma volume
• Fluid moves from plasma into cell causing plasma volume deficit and causing the cell to swell

Question 25

What are the causes of Hypotonic dehydration?

Answer 25

* Chronic illness * Excessive fluid replacement (hypotonic) * Kidney disease * Chronic malnutrition`

Question 26

List the Fluid volume deficit cardiovascular assessment findings:

Answer 26

* Thready increased pulse rate * Decreased b/p and orthostatic (postural) hypotension * Flat neck and hand veins in dependent positions * Diminished peripheral pulses * Decreased central venous pressure * Dysrhythmias

Question 27

List the Fluid volume deficit Respiratory assessment findings:

Answer 27

* Increased rate and depth of respirations | * Dyspnea

Question 28

List the Fluid volume deficit Neuromuscular assessment findings:

Answer 28

* Decreased central nervous system activity from lethargy to coma * Fever, depending on the amount of fluid loss * Skeletal muscle weakness

Question 29

List the Fluid volume deficit Renal assessment findings:

Answer 29

*Decreased urine output

Question 30

List the Fluid volume deficit Integumentary assessment findings:

Answer 30

* Dry skin * Poor turgor, tenting * Dry mouth

Question 31

List the Fluid volume deficit gastrointestinal assessment findings:

Answer 31

* Decreased GI motility and diminished bowel sounds * Constipation * Thirst * Decreased body weight

Question 32

List the Fluid volume deficit Laboratory assessment findings:

Answer 32

* Increased serum osmolality * Increased hematocrit * Increased blood urea nitrogen (BUN) level * Increased serum sodium level * Increased urinary specific gravity

Question 33

Which population should be monitored closely for fluid imbalance?

Answer 33

* Infants | * Older adults

Question 34

A patient with diarrhea is at risk for?

Answer 34

Fluid and electrolyte imbalance

Question 35

What are some interventions for Fluid volume deficit?

Answer 35

* Monitor cardiovascular, respiratory, neuromuscular, renal, integumentary, and GI status * Prevent further fluid loss, and increase fluid compartment volumes * Oral rehydration * IV fluid replacement (if dehydration is severe) * Treat with Isotonic fluid solutions * Monitor electrolyte values

Question 36

Which medications are used to treat Fluid volume deficit?

Answer 36

* Antidiarrheal * Antimicrobial * Antiemetic's * Antipyretic