Question

Mrs James is a 65 year old woman admitted to your aged care facility five days ago. Mrs James has a history of Alzheimer's disease and UTI. Since arriving Mrs James has been prescribed 40mg Frusemide (a diuretic) for 8.00 PM. You have noticed in her notes that she has recently had trouble sleeping and is appearing dehydrated.

1.1)   What might you communicate to the RN and why?

Answer 1

Furosemide is a diuretic which has to be given the morning or atleast before the evening time.Giving this in the night time will lead to increase in the frequency of urine output in the night leading to disruption of sleep. Dehydration results when there is excessive fluid loss from the body and of not replaced .Here as the medicine given in night has lead to increase in micturation and trouble in sleeping, having Alzheimers can have reduced her memory to consume water ,along with people limiting their fluids naturally in the night time.

The RN has to be communicated about the disturbed sleep pattern and the dehydration status of the patient to provide appropriate intervention.