LVN Nutrition and Fluid Balance 2 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: A patient has a serum potassium of 6.2 mEq/L. Which food should the nurse instruct the patient to avoid?
- White rice
- Bananas (Correct answer)
- Apple juice
- White bread
Correct answer: Bananas
Bananas are high in potassium and must be avoided by patients with hyperkalemia to prevent cardiac complications.
Question 2: Normal saline (0.9% NaCl) is classified as which type of intravenous solution?
- Hypotonic
- Hypertonic
- Isotonic (Correct answer)
- Colloid
Correct 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.
Question 3: A patient receiving furosemide (Lasix) long-term is most at risk for which electrolyte imbalance?
- Hypernatremia
- Hypercalcemia
- Hypokalemia (Correct answer)
- Hypermagnesemia
Correct answer: Hypokalemia
Loop diuretics like furosemide cause potassium loss through the kidneys, leading to hypokalemia.
Question 4: Which clinical finding is associated with hypocalcemia?
- Chvostek's sign (Correct answer)
- Cullen's sign
- Homan's sign
- Trousseau's sign only in severe cases
Correct answer: Chvostek's sign
Chvostek's sign (facial twitching when tapping the facial nerve) is a classic indicator of hypocalcemia due to neuromuscular irritability.
Question 5: The normal serum sodium (Na+) range is:
- 125–135 mEq/L
- 135–145 mEq/L (Correct answer)
- 145–155 mEq/L
- 120–130 mEq/L
Correct answer: 135–145 mEq/L
Normal serum sodium is 135–145 mEq/L; values outside this range indicate hyponatremia or hypernatremia.
Question 6: Which type of IV solution causes fluid to shift out of cells, causing them to shrink?
- Isotonic
- Hypotonic
- Hypertonic (Correct answer)
- Colloid
Correct answer: Hypertonic
Hypertonic solutions draw water out of cells by osmosis, causing cells to shrink and are used to treat severe hyponatremia.
Question 7: A patient has a fluid restriction of 1,200 mL/day. How should the nurse distribute fluid intake?
- Give all fluids with meals only
- Distribute evenly across three shifts (Correct answer)
- Give the majority at night for comfort
- Allow patient to self-manage without guidance
Correct 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.
LVN Nutrition and Fluid Balance 2
A patient has a serum potassium of 6.2 mEq/L.
Which food should the nurse instruct the patient to avoid?