The Patient's Laboratory Report Today Indicates Severe Hypokalemia, and the Nurse

question 1

Multiple Choice

The patient's laboratory report today indicates severe hypokalemia, and the nurse has notified the physician. Nursing assessment indicates that heart rhythm is regular. What is the most important nursing intervention for this patient now?

• A) Raise bed side rails due to potential decreased level of consciousness and confusion.
• B) Examine sacral area and patient's heels for skin breakdown due to potential edema.
• C) Establish seizure precautions due to potential muscle twitching, cramps, and seizures.
• D) Institute fall precautions due to potential postural hypotension and weak leg muscles.

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Definitions:

Phylogenetic Species Concept

Defines a species as the smallest group of individuals that share a common ancestor and can be distinguished by unique, inheritable traits.

Mitochondrial DNA

Deoxyribonucleic acid located in mitochondria, inherited only from the mother, and widely used in genetic studies to trace maternal ancestry.

General Lineage Species Concept

A concept in systematic biology that defines species based on a lineage or branch of the evolutionary tree of life.

Reproductively Isolated

The state in which different populations cannot interbreed or produce viable offspring, leading to the formation of distinct species.