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The nurse reviews a laboratory test prescribed for a client and considers that poor wound healing might be due to a nutritional imbalance. Which laboratory test did the healthcare provider prescribe for this client?

1) Leukocytes
2) Coagulation studies
3) Hemoglobin
4) Albumin

User Shlo
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1 Answer

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Final answer:

The prescribed laboratory test that suggests a nutritional imbalance and could explain poor wound healing is the albumin test. Albumin reflects the body's protein levels, which are essential for tissue repair and healing.

Step-by-step explanation:

The laboratory test most likely prescribed by the healthcare provider that can reflect a client's nutritional status and correlate with poor wound healing is an albumin test (option 4). Albumin is a protein made by the liver, and it's vital for maintaining the oncotic pressure in the bloodstream, which is necessary for the proper distribution of bodily fluids between blood vessels and body tissues. Low levels of albumin can be indicative of nutritional deficiencies, particularly in protein, which is crucial for tissue repair and healing. Thus, if a patient has poor wound healing, it could potentially be linked to a low albumin level.

Regarding the other options, leukocytes (option 1) could indicate infection but not directly nutritional status; coagulation studies (option 2) assess blood clotting functions; and hemoglobin (option 3) indicates oxygen-carrying capacity of the blood but not necessarily the nutritional balance.

User Jmlnik
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