Question

31.6 The client has been running in a long-distance marathon on a very warm day. The client complains of dizziness and nausea, and is taken to the hospital where she becomes lethargic. The serum sodium level is 125 mEq/L. What will be the best plan of the nurse?

1.Prepare to administer normal saline intravenous (IV). 2.Prepare to administer 0.45% NaCl.
3.Prepare to encourage the client to drink fluids.
4.Prepare to provide a diet high in NaCl.

Answer 1

The best plan for the nurse is to prepare to administer normal saline intravenous (IV) to correct the client's hyponatremia due to a serum sodium level of 125 mEq/L.

Step-by-step explanation:

The client in the scenario provided is exhibiting symptoms of hyponatremia, which is a lower-than-normal concentration of sodium in the blood, commonly associated with dehydration and an excess of water diluting the sodium in the body. Since the serum sodium level is 125 mEq/L, which is below the normal range (135-145 mEq/L), the client requires urgent treatment to correct the sodium imbalance. The best plan of action for the nurse would be to prepare to administer normal saline intravenous (IV). This is an isotonic solution that will help to restore the serum sodium level without causing a rapid change in fluid balance. Option 1, which is to administer normal saline IV, is the appropriate measure to correct the hyponatremia.