Final answer:
The nurse should first elevate the head of the bed and stop the IV infusion for a patient with signs of dehydration, difficulty breathing, and crackles. Isotonic saline solution is often used to treat dehydration intravenously.
Step-by-step explanation:
When encountering a patient with signs of dehydration, difficulty breathing, and bilateral basilar crackles, the first action a nurse should take is prioritizing the patient's airway and oxygenation. Therefore, the correct first action would be to elevate the head of the bed (HOB) and stop the IV infusion to prevent further volume overload, which may exacerbate pulmonary edema and respiratory distress. While placing the patient on 2L oxygen by nasal cannula (NC) and auscultating the lungs, decreasing the IV flow rate and administering furosemide, and stopping the IV infusion and notifying the healthcare provider (HCP) are important, addressing the breathing issue immediately by elevating HOB is essential for patient safety.
When a dehydrated human patient needs fluids intravenously, typically an isotonic saline solution is administered to replace fluid and electrolyte losses. This solution can include ordinary NaCl solution or, in certain cases where there is excretion of fluid high in Na and HCO3, a mixture of 2/3 isotonic saline and 1/3 Na lactate may be used.