Question

The nurse is planning care for a patient with hypercalcemia secondary to bone metastasis. Which of the following interventions will be included in the plan of care?

A) Encourage increased weight-bearing exercises.
B) Administer calcium supplements as needed.
C) Promote fluid intake to 3 liters/day.
D) Restrict dietary intake of vitamin D.

Answer 1

For a patient with hypercalcemia due to bone metastasis, promoting fluid intake to 3 liters/day is a key intervention to aid in calcium excretion and avoid complications such as kidney stones. Interventions that increase calcium levels should be avoided.

Step-by-step explanation:

The nurse is planning care for a patient with hypercalcemia secondary to bone metastasis. Hypercalcemia, characterized by abnormally high levels of calcium, can result in lethargy, sluggish reflexes, constipation, loss of appetite, confusion, and in severe cases, coma. To manage this, one of the interventions would be to promote fluid intake to 3 liters/day to facilitate the excretion of calcium through the urine and prevent the formation of kidney stones, which are a risk in hypercalcemia. Other strategies may include administering bisphosphonates which can help to regulate calcium levels, but interventions like administering calcium supplements or encouraging increased weight-bearing exercises would not be appropriate, as they could exacerbate the condition. Vitamin D intake may also need to be monitored since it can increase calcium absorption.