ATI RN
NP125 Med Surg Exam Questions
Extract:
Question 1 of 5
The patient's meal has been delivered, and the nurse checks the patient's pre-meal blood sugar. The result is 50 mg/dL. The patient is clammy, diaphoresis, and non-arousable. The next step the nurse should take is:
Correct Answer: B
Rationale: Administering 1 mg of glucagon intramuscularly stimulates glycogenolysis in the liver, increasing blood glucose levels. However, it is slower in onset compared to IV dextrose, which is critical in a non-arousable patient with a dangerously low blood glucose level of 50 mg/dL. Time efficiency is vital in this emergency. Administering 25 g of dextrose IV pushes glucose directly into the bloodstream, providing an immediate increase in blood glucose. This is the most appropriate action for a non-arousable, hypoglycemic patient. Normal blood glucose ranges between 70-100 mg/dL fasting, making this an emergency requiring prompt correction. Encouraging the patient to eat may be effective in mild hypoglycemia, but not for a critically low level like 50 mg/dL in a non-arousable patient. This delay can result in prolonged neuroglycopenic effects, worsening the patient's condition. Administering 7 units of Humalog insulin would worsen the hypoglycemia by facilitating glucose uptake into cells, which is contraindicated in this situation. Instead, glucose administration is required to correct the hypoglycemia immediately.
Question 2 of 5
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Question 3 of 5
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Question 4 of 5
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Question 5 of 5
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