The health care provider has ordered a serum cortisol level to rule out adrenal dysfunction in a patient who works at night from 11:00 PM to 7:00 AM and normally sleeps from 8:00 AM to 4:00 PM. To ensure the most reliable test results, the nurse arranges the blood specimen to be drawn

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

Cortisol levels are usually drawn in the morning, when levels are highest. In a patient who sleeps during the day, the highest level would be soon after awakening in the late afternoon. The other listed times would not give accurate information about adrenal function.

The Health Care Provider Has Ordered a Serum Cortisol Level