NURS 371 PHARMACOLOGY QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS
LATEST UPDATE ALREADY GRADED A+
A patient with heart failure accidentally overused the prescribed diuretics. For which potential
respiratory manifestation would the nurse monitor?
A) Increased respiratory rate
- Patients with deficient fluid volume experience decreased tissue perfusion and hypoxia resulting in an
increased respiratory rate. Pulmonary congestion, shortness of breath, and moist crackles on inspiration
are all characteristic of a fluid volume excess, not deficit.
When assessing a patient with Cushing syndrome, which clinical manifestation would the nurse
observe?
A) Dyspnea
- The nurse would anticipate observing dyspnea in a patient with Cushing syndrome
(hyperadrenocorticism) because this condition can cause excess extracellular volume accumulation,
which blocks interstitial air and tissue spaces and results in dyspnea, crackles, and peripheral edema.
Hypoglycemia, weight loss, and hypotension are the common manifestations of Addison's disease
(hypoadrenocorticism).
Which patient disorder has a potential complication of developing increased extracellular fluids?
A) Renal impairment
- Extracellular fluid accounts for one-third of total body fluids, which consist of interstitial fluid, plasma,
and transcellular fluid. The extracellular fluid may become excessive when the elimination of water is
impaired, especially during kidney failure. Conditions such as fistula drainage, osmotic diuresis, and
intestinal obstruction result in a loss of body fluid.
Which intervention would the nurse implement when a pregnant patient reports headaches and
shortness of breath and the nurse auscultates crackles and a bounding pulse?
A) Restrict the intake of dietary sodium.
- A pregnant woman with increased extracellular fluid may develop hypertension and pregnancy-related
complications. Restriction of dietary sodium helps to control the fluid accumulation and may help to
maintain fluid balance. Application of warm and cold compresses will not relieve the patient's
symptoms. Changing the position does not benefit the patient, and providing ice chips may increase the
fluid volume and worsen the condition.
Which mechanism would the nurse use to explain a patient's insensible water loss of an estimated
900 mL/day?
A) Vaporized by the lungs and skin
, - Approximately 600-900 mL of water is lost each day via insensible water loss, which is vaporization by
the lungs and skin. Approximately 1500 mL is excreted in the urine and 100 mL in the feces.
Approximately 8000 mL of digestive fluids are secreted daily, but most are reabsorbed in the
gastrointestinal tract.
The nurse provided care instructions for an older adult patient’s dementia and fluid balance
maintenance at home. Which caregiver statements indicate understanding of the nurse’s
teachings? Select all that apply.
1) "I should increase fluid intake and lower dietary sodium."
2) "I should provide fluids only when the patient voices thirst."
3) "I should assist the patient when holding utensils and cups."
4) "I should encourage the patient to pass urine before going to
bed."
5) "I will make sure the patient has a glass of milk near them all the
time."
A) 1, 3, 4
- The caregiver would decrease the patient’s dietary sodium intake (1). Musculoskeletal changes such as
stiffness of the hands and fingers may lead to an inability to hold containers and requires assistance (3).
The patient should make a habit of urinating before bed to decrease the chance of nocturia (4) . Mental
status alterations are a common problem in old age and may lead to decreased ability to express thirst
and obtain fluids. Therefore older adult patients are always encouraged to drink fluids, even when they
are not requesting them (2). The patient would need to increase their intake of other fluids, with water
being the better fluid source (5).
When extracellular fluid and intracellular fluid have the same osmolality, which term would the nurse
use?
A) Isotonic
- Extracellular fluid and intracellular fluid have the same osmolality; this characteristic is termed isotonic,
meaning that there is no net movement of fluids. Hypotonic refers to fluids with a lower osmolality,
which results in water moving into the cell when the cell is surrounded by a hypotonic fluid. Hypertonic
refers to fluids with a higher osmolality, which results in water moving out of the cells when they are
surrounded by a hypertonic solution. Oncotic pressure refers to the pressure of plasma colloids in a
solution.
Which indicator would the nurse use when assessing the fluid balance of a patient being treated for
heart failure?
A) Daily weighing
- Measuring body weight daily is the most accurate measure of fluid volume status. Skin turgor; intake
LATEST UPDATE ALREADY GRADED A+
A patient with heart failure accidentally overused the prescribed diuretics. For which potential
respiratory manifestation would the nurse monitor?
A) Increased respiratory rate
- Patients with deficient fluid volume experience decreased tissue perfusion and hypoxia resulting in an
increased respiratory rate. Pulmonary congestion, shortness of breath, and moist crackles on inspiration
are all characteristic of a fluid volume excess, not deficit.
When assessing a patient with Cushing syndrome, which clinical manifestation would the nurse
observe?
A) Dyspnea
- The nurse would anticipate observing dyspnea in a patient with Cushing syndrome
(hyperadrenocorticism) because this condition can cause excess extracellular volume accumulation,
which blocks interstitial air and tissue spaces and results in dyspnea, crackles, and peripheral edema.
Hypoglycemia, weight loss, and hypotension are the common manifestations of Addison's disease
(hypoadrenocorticism).
Which patient disorder has a potential complication of developing increased extracellular fluids?
A) Renal impairment
- Extracellular fluid accounts for one-third of total body fluids, which consist of interstitial fluid, plasma,
and transcellular fluid. The extracellular fluid may become excessive when the elimination of water is
impaired, especially during kidney failure. Conditions such as fistula drainage, osmotic diuresis, and
intestinal obstruction result in a loss of body fluid.
Which intervention would the nurse implement when a pregnant patient reports headaches and
shortness of breath and the nurse auscultates crackles and a bounding pulse?
A) Restrict the intake of dietary sodium.
- A pregnant woman with increased extracellular fluid may develop hypertension and pregnancy-related
complications. Restriction of dietary sodium helps to control the fluid accumulation and may help to
maintain fluid balance. Application of warm and cold compresses will not relieve the patient's
symptoms. Changing the position does not benefit the patient, and providing ice chips may increase the
fluid volume and worsen the condition.
Which mechanism would the nurse use to explain a patient's insensible water loss of an estimated
900 mL/day?
A) Vaporized by the lungs and skin
, - Approximately 600-900 mL of water is lost each day via insensible water loss, which is vaporization by
the lungs and skin. Approximately 1500 mL is excreted in the urine and 100 mL in the feces.
Approximately 8000 mL of digestive fluids are secreted daily, but most are reabsorbed in the
gastrointestinal tract.
The nurse provided care instructions for an older adult patient’s dementia and fluid balance
maintenance at home. Which caregiver statements indicate understanding of the nurse’s
teachings? Select all that apply.
1) "I should increase fluid intake and lower dietary sodium."
2) "I should provide fluids only when the patient voices thirst."
3) "I should assist the patient when holding utensils and cups."
4) "I should encourage the patient to pass urine before going to
bed."
5) "I will make sure the patient has a glass of milk near them all the
time."
A) 1, 3, 4
- The caregiver would decrease the patient’s dietary sodium intake (1). Musculoskeletal changes such as
stiffness of the hands and fingers may lead to an inability to hold containers and requires assistance (3).
The patient should make a habit of urinating before bed to decrease the chance of nocturia (4) . Mental
status alterations are a common problem in old age and may lead to decreased ability to express thirst
and obtain fluids. Therefore older adult patients are always encouraged to drink fluids, even when they
are not requesting them (2). The patient would need to increase their intake of other fluids, with water
being the better fluid source (5).
When extracellular fluid and intracellular fluid have the same osmolality, which term would the nurse
use?
A) Isotonic
- Extracellular fluid and intracellular fluid have the same osmolality; this characteristic is termed isotonic,
meaning that there is no net movement of fluids. Hypotonic refers to fluids with a lower osmolality,
which results in water moving into the cell when the cell is surrounded by a hypotonic fluid. Hypertonic
refers to fluids with a higher osmolality, which results in water moving out of the cells when they are
surrounded by a hypertonic solution. Oncotic pressure refers to the pressure of plasma colloids in a
solution.
Which indicator would the nurse use when assessing the fluid balance of a patient being treated for
heart failure?
A) Daily weighing
- Measuring body weight daily is the most accurate measure of fluid volume status. Skin turgor; intake
