Which intervention would the nurse expect to perform when caring for a patient experiencing nephrotoxicity as a result of chemotherapy treatment?

Which intervention would the nurse expect to perform when caring for a patient experiencing nephrotoxicity as a result of chemotherapy treatment?

• A. Monitoring of BUN and creatinine levels
• B. Administering insulin
• C. Prescribing laxatives
• D. Scheduling physical therapy

Answer: (A)

Nephrotoxicity from chemotherapy harms the kidneys, so the key nursing focus is assessing how well the kidneys are functioning. BUN and creatinine are standard lab measures of renal function; they reflect how effectively the kidneys are filtering waste. If nephrotoxicity is occurring, these values can rise, alerting the team to potential injury and the need for actions such as adjusting chemotherapy dosing, ensuring adequate hydration, or implementing protective supports. So the nurse would routinely monitor BUN and creatinine levels to detect changes in kidney function, along with other renal indicators like urine output and electrolytes. Administering insulin, prescribing laxatives, or scheduling physical therapy do not address kidney injury directly and aren’t aligned with monitoring or managing nephrotoxicity.

Nephrotoxicity from chemotherapy harms the kidneys, so the key nursing focus is assessing how well the kidneys are functioning. BUN and creatinine are standard lab measures of renal function; they reflect how effectively the kidneys are filtering waste. If nephrotoxicity is occurring, these values can rise, alerting the team to potential injury and the need for actions such as adjusting chemotherapy dosing, ensuring adequate hydration, or implementing protective supports. So the nurse would routinely monitor BUN and creatinine levels to detect changes in kidney function, along with other renal indicators like urine output and electrolytes. Administering insulin, prescribing laxatives, or scheduling physical therapy do not address kidney injury directly and aren’t aligned with monitoring or managing nephrotoxicity.