The nurse is to administer an intravenous (IV) solution to a client with diffuse edema. Which of the following prescriptions for this client would the nurse question?

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

Dextrose in water solutions (both 5% and 10%) are hypotonic, meaning they can exacerbate edema by moving more fluid into the interstitial spaces. However, among the options, 5% Dextrose in water (A) is the most hypotonic and would be the most likely to be questioned for a patient with diffuse edema, as it would contribute to further fluid shifting into the tissues. The other options contain either more dextrose (making them less hypotonic) or electrolytes/salts that would not exacerbate edema to the same extent.

The Nurse Is to Administer an Intravenous (IV) Solution to a Client