Question

The nurse is planning care for a patient with severe heart failure who has developed elevated blood urea nitrogen (BUN) and creatinine levels. The primary collaborative treatment goal in the plan will be

a. augmenting fluid volume.
b. maintaining cardiac output.
c. diluting nephrotoxic substances.
d. preventing systemic hypertension.

Answer 1

The nurse's main goal in caring for a heart failure patient with elevated BUN and creatinine is to maintain cardiac output to support kidney function.

Step-by-step explanation:

The nurse is planning care for a patient with severe heart failure who has developed elevated blood urea nitrogen (BUN) and creatinine levels. The primary collaborative treatment goal in the plan will be to maintain cardiac output. Elevated BUN and creatinine levels indicate a decrease in kidney function, which can be exacerbated by low cardiac output as the kidneys receive less blood flow. Therefore, it's critical to support the heart's ability to pump blood effectively to ensure that the kidneys and other vital organs receive an adequate supply of oxygenated blood.