The nurse is assessing a new admission, a 60 year old patient who is fluid volume deficit. To aid in gathering further information about the patient's hydration status, the nurse will:

Explanation

• Obtaining the client's history of fluid loss and any recent infection is usually done at the time of admission. If the cause is infectious, isolation may be provided

• If the dehydration is mild, assess urine output every 8 hours and compare daily outputs. Absence of adequate renal perfusion for several hours may result in permanent renal damage. This is one important assessment activity in caring for dehydrated clients

• Weighing the client daily on the same scale, at the same time of the day, with the client wearing clothing of similar weight will help the nurse analyze changes in daily weights. A loss of 2.2 pounds is equivalent to 1 L of fluid

Incorrect options:

• Formulation of the nursing diagnosis is one of the activities under diagnosis phase of the nursing process

• The IV pump is used to regulate IV infusion and to decrease the risk of too rapid an infusion. This is one important nursing intervention to improve body fluid volume, but not for assessment

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