Nutrition and Fluid Balance Flashcards
7 cards from real NMC CBT 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 is admitted with suspected dehydration. Which clinical sign is MOST consistent with moderate dehydration?
Answer: Dry mucous membranes and reduced skin turgor
Dry mucous membranes and reduced skin turgor are classic signs of moderate dehydration reflecting intracellular and extracellular fluid loss.
When completing a fluid balance chart, which of the following should be recorded as OUTPUT?
Answer: Wound drainage
Wound drainage is a measurable fluid loss from the body and must be recorded as output on the fluid balance chart.
The Malnutrition Universal Screening Tool (MUST) includes which three assessment components?
Answer: BMI, recent weight loss, and acute disease effect
MUST assesses BMI, unplanned weight loss over 3–6 months, and the acute disease effect score to calculate overall malnutrition risk.
An adult patient weighing 70 kg has a normal daily urine output. Which volume is within the expected range?
Answer: 800–2000 mL/day
Normal adult urine output is approximately 0.5–1 mL/kg/hr, equating to roughly 800–2000 mL per day for a 70 kg adult.
A patient receiving enteral nutrition via nasogastric tube develops a distended abdomen and vomiting. What is the PRIORITY nursing action?
Answer: Stop the feed and inform the nurse in charge
A distended abdomen and vomiting suggest feed intolerance or tube misplacement; stopping the feed and escalating is the immediate priority to prevent aspiration.
Which serum electrolyte level, if significantly reduced, is MOST likely to cause muscle weakness and cardiac arrhythmias?
Answer: Potassium
Hypokalaemia (low potassium) impairs cardiac conduction and neuromuscular function, leading to muscle weakness and potentially life-threatening arrhythmias.
A nurse uses the BMI formula to assess a patient's nutritional status. Which BMI range indicates underweight in an adult?
Answer: Less than 18.5 kg/m²
A BMI below 18.5 kg/m² is classified as underweight according to standard WHO and NICE guidelines used in clinical nutritional screening.