Difficulty: Medium
Average Score: 83%
Full-length
The nurse is caring for a client in the acute care unit. Initial laboratory values reveal serum sodium of 156 mEq/L. What behavior changes would the nurse expect the client to exhibit?
Correct answer
B
Rationale
Hypernatremia (serum sodium >145 mEq/L) can cause neurological symptoms due to cellular dehydration. Manic behavior, such as irritability, restlessness, or agitation, is a common manifestation as the brain is affected by the osmotic shift.