Final answer:
A patient with pancreatitis typically shows hypocalcemia, which is below-normal levels of serum calcium, due to impaired pancreatic function affecting calcium regulation and insulin release.
Step-by-step explanation:
The nurse caring for a client with pancreatitis should expect to find hypocalcemia, which is a serum calcium level below the expected reference range. The pancreas plays a critical role in maintaining calcium levels because it produces hormones necessary for its regulation. During pancreatitis, there is often a malfunction in this regulation leading to lower than normal calcium levels in the blood. Additionally, the damage to the pancreas can impair insulin release necessary for blood glucose management, resulting in hyperglycemia. Therefore, blood tests to measure serum calcium are essential in the assessment of patients with pancreatitis.
Blood tests can also measure levels of pancreatic enzymes such as amylase and lipase, liver function tests (LFTs), and complete blood count (CBC) which are equally important in diagnosing pancreatic diseases. Understanding these laboratory findings helps in the effective management of pancreatitis and its complications such as diabetes and ketone body production.