What action should a nurse take for a client diagnosed with urolithiasis?

What action should a nurse take for a client diagnosed with urolithiasis?

• A. Encourage increased fluid intake
• B. Strain the client's urine
• C. Limit dietary sodium
• D. Monitor for fever and chills

Answer: (B)

For a client diagnosed with urolithiasis, encouraging increased fluid intake is a crucial action that promotes the passage of kidney stones and helps prevent their formation. Increased hydration helps dilute the urine, which can reduce the concentration of minerals that crystallize to form stones. Adequate fluid intake also enhances urine flow, aiding in the movement of stones through the urinary tract. Straining the urine, while a reasonable action to observe whether stones are passed, should not be prioritized over the importance of increasing hydration. Monitoring for fever and chills is pertinent if there is a risk of infection, but this is not directly addressing the primary management of urolithiasis. Limiting dietary sodium may be necessary for specific types of stones, but it won't have the immediate beneficial effect that increased fluid intake would have on managing this condition.

For a client diagnosed with urolithiasis, encouraging increased fluid intake is a crucial action that promotes the passage of kidney stones and helps prevent their formation. Increased hydration helps dilute the urine, which can reduce the concentration of minerals that crystallize to form stones. Adequate fluid intake also enhances urine flow, aiding in the movement of stones through the urinary tract.

Straining the urine, while a reasonable action to observe whether stones are passed, should not be prioritized over the importance of increasing hydration. Monitoring for fever and chills is pertinent if there is a risk of infection, but this is not directly addressing the primary management of urolithiasis. Limiting dietary sodium may be necessary for specific types of stones, but it won't have the immediate beneficial effect that increased fluid intake would have on managing this condition.