Difficulty: Medium
Average Score: 83%
Full-length
A nasogastric (NG) tube inserted preoperatively is attached to low, intermittent suctions. A client with an NG tube exhibits these symptoms: He is restless; serum electrolytes are Na 138, K 4.0, blood pH 7.53. This client is most likely experiencing:
Correct answer
D
Rationale
NG tube suction removes acids, leading to metabolic alkalosis, as indicated by the elevated pH (7.53).