Final answer:
Calcium acetate helps reduce high phosphorus levels in the blood of patients with chronic kidney disease by forming insoluble calcium phosphate that is excreted in the stool.
Step-by-step explanation:
The nurse preparing to administer a dose of calcium acetate to a patient with chronic kidney disease (CKD) should know that this medication should have a beneficial effect on the patient's phosphorus levels. In CKD, patients often have high serum phosphate levels, also known as hyperphosphatemia, which occurs due to decreased renal function. Calcium acetate works by binding to dietary phosphate to form insoluble calcium phosphate, which is then excreted in the stool, thus reducing the phosphate levels in the blood.