Question

A nurse in an emergency department is caring for a client who reports costovertebral angle tenderness, nausea, and vomiting. Which of the following laboratory values should the nurse report to the provider?

A) WBC count 15,000/mm3
B) BUN 15 mg/dL
C) Urine specific gravity 1.020
D) Urine pH 5.5

Answer 1

A nurse should report the elevated WBC count of 15,000/mm³ to the healthcare provider as it can indicate an infection, while the other laboratory values mentioned are within normal ranges.

Step-by-step explanation:

The student's question pertains to which laboratory value should be reported to the provider if a client exhibits symptoms like costovertebral angle tenderness, nausea, and vomiting. Given the choices, a nurse should report a WBC count of 15,000/mm³. Costovertebral angle tenderness is often associated with kidney infections such as pyelonephritis, and an elevated WBC count can indicate an infection in the body. The other values — BUN of 15 mg/dL, urine specific gravity 1.020, and urine pH 5.5 — are within normal ranges and would not typically be cause for concern.

The blood urea nitrogen (BUN) value provided is within the normal range (8-20 mg/dL), indicating normal kidney function, and the urine specific gravity and pH levels are also within the normal ranges, suggesting that the kidneys are concentrating the urine properly and maintaining acid-base balance, respectively.