A patient presents to the emergency department with reports of ...

[naturalchemist]

A patient presents to the emergency department with reports of vomiting and diarrhea for the past 48 hours. The health care provider orders isotonic intravenous (IV) therapy. Which IV will the nurse prepare?
 
  a. 0.225 sodium chloride (1/4 NS)
  b. 0.45 sodium chloride (1/2 NS)
  c. 0.9 sodium chloride (NS)
  d. 3 sodium chloride (3 NaCl)

Question 2

A nurse is caring for a cancer patient who presents with anorexia, blood pressure 100/60, and elevated white blood cell count. Which primary purpose for starting total parenteral nutrition (TPN) will the nurse add to the care plan?
 
  a. Stimulate the patient's appetite to eat.
  b. Deliver antibiotics to fight off infection.
  c. Replace fluid, electrolytes, and nutrients.
  d. Provide medication to raise blood pressure.

[nyrave]

Answer to Question 1

ANS: C
Patients with prolonged vomiting and diarrhea become hypovolemic. A solution to replace extracellular volume is 0.9 sodium chloride, which is an isotonic solution. 0.225 and 0.45 sodium chloride are hypotonic. 3 sodium chloride is hypertonic.

Answer to Question 2

ANS: C
Total parenteral nutrition is an intravenous solution composed of nutrients and electrolytes to replace the ones the patient is not eating or losing. TPN does not stimulate the appetite. TPN does not contain blood pressure medication or antibiotics.

[naturalchemist]

Excellent

[bblaney]

Great answer, keep it coming