Scenario Background: In a busy hospital emergency department, Nurse Sarah is responsible for caring for a diverse group of patients. Among them, there is a middle-aged woman named Mrs. Johnson, who has been admitted with symptoms of severe dehydration and electrolyte imbalance. Nurse Sarah needs to assess Mrs. Johnson's condition accurately to initiate the appropriate interventions promptly.
Fill in the Blanks Question: During the assessment of Mrs. Johnson, Nurse Sarah notices a decreased level of consciousness, rapid breathing, and dry mucous membranes. Mrs. Johnson's blood pressure is 90/60 mmHg, heart rate is 120 bpm, and she has weak peripheral pulses. Her laboratory results indicate a significantly elevated serum sodium level of 160 mEq/L and a low serum potassium level of 2.8 mEq/L. Based on these findings, Nurse Sarah suspects Mrs. Johnson is experiencing a condition known as ____________.
A) Hypokalemia
B) Hyperkalemia
C) Hyponatremia
D) Hypernatremia