Nursing Study Guide Flashcards

Delegation in Nursing

• Do not delegate what you can EAT: Evaluate, Assess, Teach.

Addison's Disease

• Characterized by hyponatremia (low sodium), hypoglycemia (low glucose), and hypotension (low blood pressure).
• Symptoms include low blood volume (hypovolemia), hyperkalemia (high potassium), dark pigmentation, decreased stress resistance, fractures, alopecia, weight loss, and gastrointestinal distress.

Cushing's Disease

• Involves hypernatremia (high sodium), hyperglycemia (high glucose), and hypertension (high blood pressure).
• Presents with hypervolemia (high blood volume), hypokalemia (low potassium), increased susceptibility to infection, muscle wasting, weakness, edema, hirsutism, and physical changes such as moon face and buffalo hump.

Renal Function and Potassium

• If urine output is low ("not peeing"), potassium (K) levels can become dangerous.

Positioning for Veins and Arteries

• Elevate legs to promote venous return and reduce swelling in veins.
• Dangle legs to improve blood flow and prevent complications in arteries.

APGAR Scoring

• Assess newborns with the APGAR score, which evaluates:
  • Appearance: Color (pink, pink and blue, or blue)
  • Pulse: Heart rate (>100 bpm) is considered normal.