A patient who has required prolonged mechanical ventilation has the following arterial blood gas results: pH 7.48, PaO₂ 85 mm Hg, PaCO₂ 32 mm Hg, and HCO₃ 25 mEq/L. The nurse interprets these results as

Question

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The pH indicates that the patient has alkalosis and the low PaCO₂ indicates a respiratory cause. The other responses are incorrect based on the pH and the normal HCO₃.

A Patient Who Has Required Prolonged Mechanical Ventilation Has the Following