Question

The nurse is caring for a patient diagnosed with hypernatremia. Which maintenance IV fluid would the nurse expect to hang for this patient?

A) 0.9% Normal Saline
B) 5% Dextrose in Water
C) Lactated Ringer's Solution
D) 0.45% Saline

Answer 1

The most appropriate maintenance IV fluid for a patient with hypernatremia would be D) 0.45% Saline, which is a hypotonic solution that helps to dilute the high concentration of sodium in the bloodstream.

Step-by-step explanation:

The patient diagnosed with hypernatremia would likely require a hypotonic IV fluid to help reduce the sodium concentration in the bloodstream. Among the given options, the nurse would expect to hang 0.45% Saline, which is a hypotonic solution. Hypertonic solutions, such as 0.9% Normal Saline, may exacerbate hypernatremia, and hence would not be the appropriate choice for maintenance fluid in this case. Isotonic solutions like Lactated Ringer's Solution are also not ideal as they do not provide the necessary osmotic effect to draw sodium out of the cells. 5% Dextrose in Water is initially isotonic, but once glucose is metabolized, it essentially becomes hypotonic. However, due to the active metabolism of glucose, it may not be the best option for correcting hypernatremia compared to a straightforward hypotonic solution like 0.45% Saline.