Homeostasis Clinical Case Question: Acid-Base Balance/Electrolyte Imbalance/Fluid ImbalanceFluid, electrolyte, and acid/base balance are concepts that nurses will encounter in many client-care settings and across the lifespan. You need to recognize the diagnostic and assessment data that indicate alterations in balance and the priority actions to take. Alterations that are easily tolerated on some populations can become life-threatening quick in other populations. Students will need to understand the way age, chronic disease states, lifestyle behaviors, and medical or surgical treatments interact with fluid, electrolyte, and acid/base balance. Electrolyte balance is a complex concept. Expert nurses have developed their clinical judgment through multiple client-care experiences. Distinguishing signs and symptoms of high or low electrolytes and recognizing signs of impending danger are difficult tasks. Likewise, interpreting arterial blood gases (ABGs) and differentiating between metabolic and respiratory alkalosis and acidosis are challenging task. If a client has ABGs ordered, they are already quite sick. ScenarioAs a nurse on the adolescent unit, you have cared for many teens with type 1 diabetes mellitus. K.L. is a 14-year-old who was diagnosed at 10 years of age, and she is skilled at managing her carbohydrate to insulin ratios, blood glucose monitoring, and insulin pump. K. L. became concerned about her weight and started omitting her insulin at meals. She stopped checking her blood glucose and was happy with the 5 pounds she lost in the last few weeks.This morning she woke up vomiting and had a severe stomachache. Her parents brought her to the emergency department where her blood glucose was 340 mg/dL and positive for ketones. Her HgbA1c was 12.5%. She is being admitted to the adolescent unit from E.D. When you transfer her from the stretcher to the bed, she reports being dizzy and feeling faint. K. L’s vital signs are Temp 99.6 F, HR 118, RR 26, and BP 92/62. You note that her previous vital signs at a recent clinic visit were Temp. 99.6 F, HR 84, RR 16, BP 110/70. Her mucus membranes are pale and dry, and you notice that her skin is also dry. 1. What type of electrolyte imbalance is K.L. most likely experiencing? _________________ Health Science Science Nursing NURSING 4300 Share QuestionEmailCopy link Comments (0)
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