Endocrine Nursing Flashcards
7 cards from real MSNCB practice questions. Tap to flip, then mark Knew It or Still Learning — missed cards come back until you master them.
Read the first 7 Endocrine Nursing flashcards as text
A patient's HbA1c is reported as 9.2%. Which average blood glucose level does this BEST correspond to?
Answer: Approximately 212 mg/dL
An HbA1c of 9.2% corresponds to an estimated average glucose (eAG) of approximately 212 mg/dL over the prior 2-3 months.
A patient with hypothyroidism is started on levothyroxine. The nurse should teach the patient to take this medication:
Answer: 30-60 minutes before breakfast on an empty stomach
Levothyroxine absorption is significantly impaired by food, calcium, and iron; it should be taken on an empty stomach 30-60 minutes before breakfast.
Which assessment finding indicates that treatment for diabetic ketoacidosis (DKA) is effective?
Answer: Urine ketones clear and serum bicarbonate rises above 18 mEq/L
Resolution of DKA is confirmed by closure of the anion gap, clearing ketones, and normalization of serum bicarbonate above 18 mEq/L.
The nurse is preparing to administer regular insulin IV for a patient in DKA. Which action is MOST important before beginning the infusion?
Answer: Check serum potassium level and correct if below 3.5 mEq/L
Insulin drives potassium intracellularly; if potassium is already low (<3.5 mEq/L), insulin administration can cause life-threatening hypokalemia.
A patient with hyperparathyroidism would MOST likely exhibit which set of findings?
Answer: Hypercalcemia, hypophosphatemia, and nephrolithiasis
Excess PTH causes calcium release from bones and phosphate wasting by kidneys, leading to hypercalcemia, hypophosphatemia, and renal stones.
Which clinical manifestation differentiates hyperosmolar hyperglycemic state (HHS) from diabetic ketoacidosis (DKA)?
Answer: Serum glucose is typically above 600 mg/dL in HHS with minimal or no ketosis
HHS features extreme hyperglycemia (often >600 mg/dL) and hyperosmolarity with minimal ketosis, because residual insulin prevents ketogenesis.
A nurse monitors a patient after surgical removal of a pheochromocytoma. Which postoperative complication is the PRIORITY concern?
Answer: Severe hypotension and hypoglycemia
After pheochromocytoma removal, the sudden drop in catecholamines commonly causes severe hypotension; insulin hypersecretion can also trigger hypoglycemia.