During enteral nutrition, what lab level should a nurse report?

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In the context of enteral nutrition, monitoring laboratory values is crucial to ensure patient safety and optimal nutritional support. A serum sodium level of 128 is indicative of hyponatremia, which is a low sodium concentration in the blood. This condition can lead to serious complications, including neurological issues such as confusion, seizures, or even coma.

Hyponatremia can occur in patients receiving enteral nutrition due to several factors, including excessive free water intake, inappropriate formula composition, or underlying medical conditions that may affect fluid balance. Given that sodium plays a vital role in maintaining fluid balance, nerve function, and muscle contraction, any abnormality, particularly one that reflects significant derangement, must be reported promptly.

The other options present different lab values that may not indicate immediate risk. A serum calcium level of 9.5 is within the normal range, serum potassium of 4.5 is typically normal, and although a serum glucose level of 150 is elevated, it is not as urgent as the significantly low sodium level, which poses an immediate threat to the patient. Therefore, reporting the serum sodium level of 128 is critical to ensure timely intervention and management of the patient's nutritional and hydration status.

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