The Nurse Is Caring for a Patient in the Intensive

Multiple Choice

The nurse is caring for a patient in the intensive care unit with an NG tube to low intermittent suction after bowel surgery. Morning lab results include the following: Na⁺ = 136 mEq, K⁺ = 3.3 mEq, Cl^- = 100 mEq, Ca⁺⁺ = 10 mg/dL. The patient has scheduled medications, which include potassium bicarbonate/potassium chloride 40 mEq via NG and Lasix (furosemide) 20 mg intravenous push daily. Which of the following actions should the nurse take next?

A) Evaluate the patient's telemetry reading.
B) Hold the patient's daily dose of potassium chloride.
C) Assess the amount and color of the NG output over the past 2 hr.
D) Provide the patient's scheduled Lasix (furosemide) .