Acute Kidney Injury Formerly known as acute renal failure, acute kidney injury (AKI) is a reversible rapid reduction in glomerular filtration rate (GFR) or kidney function, resulting in an increase in serum blood urea nitrogen (BUN), creatinine, and metabolic waste...

Affirming Care for Patients who are LGBTQIA2+ Affirming care recognizes the significant impact of sexual and gender minority (SGM) status on a person’s health and is critical to ensuring SGM patients receive culturally competent and clinically appropriate care (McElwain & Carr, 2021...

Assessing Fall Risk and Reducing Falls in the Elderly More than one in four American adults 65 years of age and older have reported falling and one in five sustain a severe fall-related injury, including fractures and traumatic brain injuries (CDC, 2021). Falls account for 56% of injury-related...

Assessment and Diagnosis of Heart Failure Heart failure (HF) is a complex clinical syndrome resulting from any structural or functional impairment of ventricular filling or ejection of blood. Heart failure symptoms include those related to fluid retention, such as leg swelling...

Atropine Sulfate Atropine is an anticholinergic drug that blocks the action of acetylcholine at parasympathetic sites in smooth muscle, secretory glands, and the central nervous system (CNS). It increases cardiac output and dries secretions. It is a competitive...

Chronic Kidney Disease Previously referred to as chronic renal failure, chronic kidney disease (CKD) is a progressive, irreversible loss of kidney function resulting in reduced filtration, build-up of toxins and fluid, and electrolyte imbalances. Continued decline in...

Common Drug Calculations Medication administration is a core competency for nurses in every clinical setting. The ability to perform accurate dosage calculations is a key skill required to safely dispense drugs. New technologies such as bar coding medication and smart...

Complications of Peripheral Intravenous Therapy When administering intravenous (IV) fluids or medications through a peripheral IV (PIV) site, one must institute preventive measures, be alert for signs and symptoms of complications, and know how to intervene if complications occur.

Cross-Cultural Nursing Considerations Nurses inevitably provide direct care to patients of varied ages, races, ethnicities, and cultures within the practice setting.The historical one-size fits all approach in healthcare resulted in negative health disparities, mistrust of the...

Differentiating Delirium, Dementia, and Depression Elderly patients are at high risk of mood and cognitive impairments such as depression, delirium and dementia. Delirium is an acute, transient and reversible cause of brain dysfunction, usually triggered by one or more precipitating factors...

Digital Rectal Exam Digital rectal examination begins with a detailed health history, while ensuring patient privacy. Carefully observe for nonverbal cues of pain or discomfort. Obtain consent for the examination and secure a chaperone. Order of examination is...

Discharge Planning for Patients with Diabetes Mellitus For patients with diabetes mellitus, effective discharge planning involves teaching patients the skills and knowledge needed to maintain blood glucose targets. The patient should be provided with a clear well-documented post discharge plan that is...