Question

A young adult male was admitted 36 hours ago for a head injury that occurred as the result of a motorcycle accident. In the last 4 hours, his urine output has increased to over 200 ml/H. Before reporting the finding to the healthcare provider, which intervention should the nurse implement?

Answer 1

The nurse should measure vital signs and perform a neurological assessment to monitor any changes in the patient's consciousness before reporting the increase in urine output to the healthcare provider.

Step-by-step explanation:

Before reporting the increased urine output to the healthcare provider, the nurse should measure and record vital signs and perform a neurological assessment. Since the patient has sustained a head injury, the increased urine output may signal the onset of diabetes insipidus or cerebral salt wasting, both of which can occur after a head trauma. It is important to monitor changes in levels of consciousness, as a head-injured patient can become comatose, or die, if not rehydrated quickly and appropriately. The nurse’s evaluation will provide the healthcare provider with critical information regarding the patient's current status and potential deterioration.