LUID ANDELECTROLYTES CASE STUDIES
1) Mr. Johnson, 68-year-old, has beenvomiting and has had diarrhea for 2 days. He complains of beingdizzy. The nurse assesses his physiologic status and notes that hismuscles are weak, his abdomen is distended, and bowel sounds areabsent.
a. What Electrolyte imbalance do yoususpect?
b. What is the normal range for thiselectrolyte?
c. What other symptoms can thispatient have exhibited with this type of electrolyteimbalance?
d. What treatment would be mostappropriate for this patient?
2) Mrs. Unger has a high temperature anddiaphoresis. She has been nauseated and has taken only ginger alefor the last several days. Her lab tests revealed a Sodium level of129 mEq/L and Potassium level of 3.7 mEq/L.
a. What type of electrolyte imbalancedo you suspect?
b. What is the normal range for thiselectrolyte?
c. What are some other clinical signsand symptoms might you observe with this type of imbalance?
d. When testing Mrs. Unger’s urine,what would you suspect her specific gravity to be?
e. What treatment would be mostappropriate for this patient?
3) A patient has just received anadministration of an intravenous potassium too rapidly.
a. What signs and symptoms would youassess for?
b. What lab values would you checkfor this patient?
c. What treatment would be prescribedfor this patient?
4) An elderly patient has just beenadmitted to the Emergency Department with symptoms of confusion andmuscle tremors. When taking his history, it is revealed he had beendischarged from the hospital 2 days ago. He has been on IV therapyfor a stomach virus, but could not keep down fluids after he wasdischarged.
a. What electrolyte imbalance do yoususpect for this patient?
b. What other signs and symptomsmight you need to assess for?
c. What type of treatment would beappropriate for this patient?
5) Develop one care plan for each casestudy from above. It should contain a NANDA nursing diagnosis, onegoal, and at least four nursing interventions. Nursinginterventions are not doctor’s orders.
