HCC1 Glucose Regulation Practice Test

When a patient receives total parenteral nutrition, a large glucose load is delivered directly into the bloodstream, so hyperglycemia is a common and urgent risk. The symptoms described—nausea, fatigue, headache, and especially a doubling of hourly urine output—fit osmotic diuresis from elevated blood glucose. The first thing to do is check the serum glucose level to confirm whether hyperglycemia is occurring and to guide immediate management (such as adjusting the TPN rate or adding insulin per protocol).

Other options don’t address the likely problem as directly: measuring oxygen saturation would assess respiratory status, which isn’t the primary issue here; giving an analgesic doesn’t treat the underlying glucose problem; elevating the head of the bed doesn’t impact glucose levels.