Author Question: Four patients arrive at the emergency department at the same time. Which patient will the nurse see ... (Read 46 times)

@Brianna17 · **on:** Jul 22, 2018

Four patients arrive at the emergency department at the same time. Which patient will the nurse see first?

a. An infant with temperature of 102.2 F and diarrhea for 3 days
b. A teenager with a sprained ankle and excessive edema
c. A middle-aged adult with abdominal pain who is moaning and holding her stomach
d. An older adult with nausea and vomiting for 3 days with blood pressure 112/60

Question 2

The nurse observes that the patient's calcium is elevated. When checking the phosphate level, what does the nurse expect to see?

a. Increased
b. Decreased
c. Equal to calcium
d. No change in phosphate

momo1250 · **Reply #1 on:** Jul 22, 2018

Answer to Question 1

ANS: A
The infant should be seen first. An infant's proportion of total body water (70 to 80 total body weight) is greater than that of children or adults. Infants and young children have greater water needs and immature kidneys. They are at greater risk for extracellular volume deficit and hypernatremia because body water loss is proportionately greater per kilogram of weight. A teenager with excessive edema from a sprained ankle can wait. A middle-aged adult moaning in pain can wait as can an older adult with a blood pressure of 112/60.

Answer to Question 2

ANS: B
Phosphate will decrease. Serum calcium and phosphate have an inverse relationship. When one is elevated, the other decreases, except in some patients with end-stage renal disease.