Fluid overload findings

NCLEX-RN
Pharmacological and Parenteral Therapies
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Difficulty 3 of 5

Question

Click to highlight the findings that require follow-up.

Older adult receiving IV fluids. New fine crackles at posterior lung bases. Peripheral edema present. Oxygen saturation has decreased from baseline. Client requests a blanket. Client is reading a magazine.

Highlighted phrases are the correct selections.

Answer

New fine crackles at posterior lung bases. · Peripheral edema present. · Oxygen saturation has decreased from baseline.

Rationale

Crackles, peripheral edema, and declining oxygen saturation are possible signs of fluid overload in an older adult receiving IV fluids. These findings require follow-up; the other observations do not identify fluid overload.

RememberWatch for respiratory changes and edema during IV fluid therapy.

Sources

Sources marked “Adapted from” are licensed under CC BY 4.0. We changed the material: its facts are rewritten into an original question, answer options and rationale. The original authors and publishers do not endorse SwipeExam.

Adapted from Open RN Nursing Skills, 2nd edition: Chapter 23 IV Therapy Management Open RN (Chippewa Valley Technical College) · License: CC BY 4.0 · Retrieved November 2, 2026 · Subjective Assessment › Life Span Considerations · 2nd edition, 2023

Last verified: November 4, 2026 2 independent automated checks Question rn-ppt-00888, version 1

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