Nutrition and Fluid Balance Flashcards
7 cards from real LVN practice questions. Tap to flip, then mark Knew It or Still Learning — missed cards come back until you master them.
Read the first 7 Nutrition and Fluid Balance flashcards as text
A patient has a serum potassium of 6.2 mEq/L. Which food should the nurse instruct the patient to avoid?
Answer: Bananas
Bananas are high in potassium and must be avoided by patients with hyperkalemia to prevent cardiac complications.
Normal saline (0.9% NaCl) is classified as which type of intravenous solution?
Answer: Isotonic
0.9% NaCl is isotonic, meaning it has the same osmolarity as blood and does not cause fluid shifts into or out of cells.
A patient receiving furosemide (Lasix) long-term is most at risk for which electrolyte imbalance?
Answer: Hypokalemia
Loop diuretics like furosemide cause potassium loss through the kidneys, leading to hypokalemia.
Which clinical finding is associated with hypocalcemia?
Answer: Chvostek's sign
Chvostek's sign (facial twitching when tapping the facial nerve) is a classic indicator of hypocalcemia due to neuromuscular irritability.
The normal serum sodium (Na+) range is:
Answer: 135–145 mEq/L
Normal serum sodium is 135–145 mEq/L; values outside this range indicate hyponatremia or hypernatremia.
Which type of IV solution causes fluid to shift out of cells, causing them to shrink?
Answer: Hypertonic
Hypertonic solutions draw water out of cells by osmosis, causing cells to shrink and are used to treat severe hyponatremia.
A patient has a fluid restriction of 1,200 mL/day. How should the nurse distribute fluid intake?
Answer: Distribute evenly across three shifts
Distributing fluids evenly across shifts (e.g., 600 mL days, 400 mL evenings, 200 mL nights) prevents both excessive thirst and fluid overload.