Difficulty: Medium
Average Score: 65%
Simulated
A nurse is caring for a client who has been taking epoetin alfa for 3 months. Which of the following laboratory tests should the nurse monitor to determine the effectiveness of the medication?
Correct answer
D
Rationale
The correct answer is D: Hgb. Epoetin alfa is a medication used to stimulate red blood cell production. Monitoring hemoglobin (Hgb) levels is crucial to assess the effectiveness of the medication in treating anemia. A rise in Hgb indicates the medication is working. AST (choice A) is a liver enzyme test, not related to epoetin alfa. Troponin (choice B) is a cardiac enzyme test for heart damage. T4 (choice C) is a thyroid hormone test. Therefore, monitoring Hgb levels is essential in this scenario.