A patient who ingests several alcoholic beverages each day has been taking 1 gm of acetaminophen (Tylenol) six times a day and Percocet for pain relief following knee surgery. The patient is currently complaining of nausea with right upper quadrant pain and has an AST of 60 units/L and ALT of 45 units/L. Which additional laboratory studies should the nurse use when assessing this patient? Select all that apply.

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

1. The PT/PTT and INR are the most important levels to obtain because elevation of these levels is indicative of liver dysfunction and puts the patient at risk for bleeding.
2. A more accurate assessment of renal function would be creatinine and blood urea nitrogen in addition to potassium.
3. The amount of acetaminophen this patient consumes is 6,000 mg/day. This exceeds the safe level of 4,000 mg/day. The patient needs to be assessed for acetaminophen toxicity.
4. An ethanol level and opiate level would also be appropriate for this patient, given the patient's history.
5. Urine myoglobin is only used for those patients with tissue trauma, such as those with severe orthopedic injury and burns.

A Patient Who Ingests Several Alcoholic Beverages Each Day Has