RN Nursing · Substance Use Disorders · Practice question
A nurse is caring for a client who is experiencing acute alcohol toxicity. Which of the following actions should the nurse include in the plan?
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Administer a diuretic to the client.
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✓
Measure the client's urine specific gravity.
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Administer a stimulant to the client.
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Insert an NG tube for the client.
Answer & explanation
Correct: Measure the client's urine specific gravity.
Acute alcohol toxicity results in CNS and respiratory depression, fluid and electrolyte disturbances, and risk of aspiration. Measuring urine specific gravity is an appropriate nursing action because it provides objective data about the client's hydration status and renal function, both of which can be compromised by alcohol's antidiuretic hormone suppression and subsequent fluid shifts. This assessment helps guide fluid replacement decisions and monitor for developing complications such as dehydration or acute kidney injury. Administering a diuretic would worsen the dehydration and electrolyte imbalances that frequently accompany alcohol toxicity, making it contraindicated and potentially dangerous. Administering a stimulant is inappropriate and unsafe; stimulants do not reverse the physiological effects of ethanol toxicity and can precipitate cardiovascular complications. Inserting a nasogastric tube is not a routine or priority intervention for acute alcohol toxicity unless the client is unconscious with airway compromise or there is a specific indication such as co-ingestion of another substance requiring gastric lavage — and even then it would require careful airway protection first. Monitoring urine output and concentration through specific gravity measurement is a safe, non-invasive assessment that provides valuable clinical data and is consistent with supportive care principles for this condition.
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