A nurse in the medical ICU is caring for a patient with liver failure related to cirrhosis. Physical assessment reveals increasing ascites. The nurse reviews the patient's daily laboratory results and notes the albumin level is 2.9 g/dL. Which of the following would be an appropriate nursing action? 

A nurse is working in the intensive care unit caring for a patient who is status post-radical neck resection including thyroidectomy. The nurse knows routine daily monitoring of laboratory values for this patient will include which of the following?

An 87-year-old patient is admitted to the cardiac telemetry floor for exacerbation of congestive heart failure (CHF). The nurse assesses the patient and finds 3+ pitting edema to the lower extremities. Besides fluid intake restriction, the nurse should implement which of the following interventions? 

The nurse is caring for a patient with end stage kidney disease (ESKD) on dialysis. The patient asks why milk, chocolate milk, and soft drinks are not allowed in the diet order. The nurse explains that these foods should be avoided to decrease the risk of which conditions?

The nurse draws a blood sample on an anxious patient that is hyperventilating. The arterial blood gas will most likely show

The nurse is caring for a male patient with sepsis. He weighs 90 kg and his urine output has been 175 mL over 6 hours. The nurse suspects acute kidney injury when the creatinine is

The nurse preceptor is reviewing acid-base imbalances with a new nurse and identifies which of the following clients as the most likely to have respiratory acidosis?

The nurse is caring for a patient with hypoparathyroidism. While reviewing the patient's lab tests, the nurse would most likely note

A nurse on the medical surgical floor is caring for a patient with chronic atrial fibrillation and congestive heart failure. The nurse notices on the telemetry EKG monitor that the patient is having frequent, unifocal premature ventricular contractions (PVCs). The nurse reviews the patient's laboratory work and finds the serum magnesium level is 1.0 mEq/L. The nurse should do which of the following? 

A nurse is caring for a 76-year-old patient with an exacerbation of congestive heart failure. The patient has been receiving furosemide 80 mg IV every 12 hours and has had a total urine output of 3.8 liters in the last 24 hours. The patient's recent laboratory work reveals a serum potassium level of 3.0 mEq/L. The nurse reports this lab result to the doctor and anticipates which of the following orders? 

The nurse is caring for a patient with cirrhosis and malnutrition who is prescribed supplemental nutrition with high protein formula. The nurse understands that the protein supplement will help with which of the following symptoms?

A nurse is caring for a patient scheduled for heart valve surgery the next day. The patient has been on Coumadin and has an INR of 2.3 on daily laboratory work. The provider wants the INR < 2.0 prior to surgery and has ordered vitamin K IM. Which of the following interventions can the nurse perform to assist in reaching the INR goal?

The nurse checks the blood glucose of an unconscious diabetic patient. The nurse would consider the patient hypoglycemic and administer intravenous dextrose if the blood glucose is under

The nurse is reviewing a patient's lab results and notes an elevated BNP. The nurse understands that an elevated BNP is caused by

The nurse is assessing a patient after returning from surgery. After reviewing the patient's lab results, the nurse should notify the physician of