The nurse is educating the student nurse on the management of the patient who is mechanically ventilated via an endotracheal tube in the intensive care unit. Which information does the nurse provide to the student nurse?

A nurse is assigned to a 75-year-old patient with head trauma secondary to falling down the stairs at home. The patient is stable initially, complaining of headache and some dizziness, but no focal neurologic signs. That evening, the patient acutely becomes altered and rapidly loses consciousness. Which of the following most likely explains this patient’s condition?

The mother of the 7-week-old infant reports the baby has had fewer and fewer wet diapers and hasn’t stooled in 3 days despite having a ravenous appetite. The mother reports that the child has been vomiting with increasing force and volume over the past two weeks. The emesis just appears to be partially digested breastmilk and fluid. The infant appears well, but mucous membranes are dry, the child has a low-grade fever, and is tachycardic. Upon palpation of the abdomen, a small, olive-shaped mass is appreciated. A serum electrolyte panel reveals a sodium of 132, potassium of 2.7, chloride of 89, and a glucose of 92. The nurse performs which nursing action first?