Final answer:
The nurse should report the serum creatinine level of 4 mg/dL to the healthcare provider, as it exceeds the normal range and indicates severe impairment of renal function, which is critical in a patient with acute kidney injury.
Step-by-step explanation:
Serum Laboratory Findings in Acute Kidney Injury (AKI)
When caring for a client with acute kidney injury (AKI), the nurse must be vigilant in monitoring serum laboratory values as they are indicative of renal function. In AKI, the ability of the kidneys to filter waste products is impaired which can lead to an accumulation of substances that are normally excreted.
A serum creatinine level of 4 mg/dL is significantly higher than the normal range of 0.8-1.2 mg/dL for males and 0.6-0.9 mg/dL for females, indicating a severe reduction in kidney function. This is a critical value the nurse should report to the provider immediately as it suggests the patient may be in the 'failure' stage of AKI, defined by a creatinine level 3.0 times the patient's baseline or greater. Normal blood potassium levels range from 3.5 to 5.0 mEq/L, and the patient's level is at the upper limit of this range, which may require monitoring, but it's not as urgent as the elevated creatinine level. Calcium at 9 mg/dL is within normal limits, and amylase at 84 units/L does not typically correlate with kidney function and is also within a normal range.