Intravenous (IV) therapy is ordered for a patient with a serum sodium of 150 mEq/L. Which of the following does the nurse anticipate administering?

Correct Answer: A

Rationale: In a patient with a high serum sodium level (hypernatremia), the goal of treatment is to gradually decrease the sodium concentration in the body to prevent complications. Isotonic solutions (0.9% NS or LR) can worsen hypernatremia because they have a higher sodium concentration than the patient's current serum sodium level. Hypotonic solutions, such as 0.45% NS, are typically used to treat hypernatremia because they have a lower sodium concentration than the patient's serum sodium, which helps dilute the sodium in the body and lower the serum sodium level back to a normal range. Therefore, in this case, the nurse would anticipate administering 0.45% NS to the patient with a serum sodium level of 150 mEq/L.

Correct Answer: B

Rationale: Heparin is an anticoagulant medication used to prevent blood clots. If a patient on heparin therapy experiences excessive bleeding or needs to quickly reverse the anticoagulant effects of heparin, the antidote is protamine sulfate. Protamine sulfate works by neutralizing the effects of heparin by forming a complex with it. It is important for healthcare providers to have protamine sulfate readily available when managing patients on heparin therapy to effectively reverse its anticoagulant effects in emergency situations.

Correct Answer: A

Rationale: Acetaminophen (Tylenol) is primarily metabolized in the liver. Hepatotoxicity is a serious potential side effect of acetaminophen overdose or excessive use. One of the markers for liver damage due to acetaminophen toxicity is an elevated blood urea nitrogen (BUN) level. Normal BUN levels range from 7 to 20 mg/dl, and a level of 60 mg/dl indicates kidney dysfunction, which can result from liver damage caused by acetaminophen toxicity. Therefore, an elevated BUN level would indicate a toxicity of acetaminophen in this client with Bell's palsy who is taking acetaminophen daily. The other laboratory values mentioned are not specific markers for acetaminophen toxicity.

Correct Answer: D

Rationale: Valproate is an anticonvulsant medication commonly used to treat seizure disorders such as epilepsy. It works by stabilizing electrical activity in the brain, which helps to reduce the occurrence of seizures. Therefore, the expected outcome of Valproate treatment is a decrease in seizure activity and an improvement in seizure control.

Correct Answer: B

Rationale: Valproate is classified as an anti-convulsant medication. It is commonly used to treat seizures, particularly in the management of epilepsy. Valproate works by affecting certain chemicals in the brain to control seizures and stabilize mood in some psychiatric conditions. It is not classified as an anti-diabetic, anti-ulcer agent, or anti-hypertensive medication.