Question

The nurse is caring for a 3-year-old child with severe burns. What is the nurse aware is the minimum adequate hourly urine output?

1) 5 mL/hr
2) 10 mL/hr
3) 15 mL/hr
4) 20 mL/hr

Answer 1

For a 3-year-old child with severe burns, the minimum adequate hourly urine output is typically 10 mL/hr (2). This value takes into account the child's smaller body weight and size, which requires less urine output compared to an adult to effectively remove metabolic wastes.

Step-by-step explanation:

The nurse caring for a 3-year-old child with severe burns should be aware that the minimum adequate hourly urine output is often used as an indicator of renal function and hydration status. For children, a commonly accepted minimum urine output is about 1 ml/kg/hr for infants and young children.

Given the small body size of a 3-year-old, the options provided suggest that the minimum adequate hourly urine output is option 2) 10 mL/hr, which would assume a child's weight around 10 kilograms. This figure aligns with the understanding that an adult must produce a minimum of about 0.5 quarts (approx. 500 mL) per day to excrete metabolic wastes effectively, which translates to approximately 20-30 mL/hr for adults. However, due to the differences in pediatric care, the fluid requirements for children are adjusted based on their weight, and therefore, the values are lower when expressed in absolute terms.