Question

A client sustains severe burns over 40% of the surface area of the body. The nurse is assigned to care for the client during the first 48 hours after the injury. Which clinical finding would the nurse anticipate if the client develops water intoxication? a) Hypotension b) Increased urine output c) Cerebral edema d) Hypernatremia

Answer 1

If a patient with severe burns develops water intoxication, also known as hyponatremia, a nurse would anticipate the development of cerebral edema. This is due to the excess water in the body causing cells, including neurons in the brain, to swell.

Step-by-step explanation:

In the context of a client with severe burns over 40% of their body, water intoxication may develop due to fluid resuscitation methods employed in treating burns. They largely involve intravenous fluids to offset dehydration and help the body repair tissues. In such a scenario, if water intoxication, also known as hyponatremia, occurs, it refers to a lower-than-normal concentration of sodium in the blood, often associated with excessive water accumulation in the body. This accumulation dilutes the sodium in the bloodstream.

The clinical finding a nurse would anticipate if the client develops water intoxication is cerebral edema. This condition happens because hyponatremia results in increased entry of water into cells by osmosis. The concentration of solutes within the cell exceeds the concentration in the now-diluted extracellular fluid (ECF). The excess water causes cells to swell. In the case of neurons in the brain, this swelling can lead to brain damage or cerebral edema.

Learn more about Water Intoxication