In a client with diarrhea, which clinical indicator would the nurse anticipate decreasing?

In a client with diarrhea, which clinical indicator would the nurse anticipate decreasing?

• A. Tissue Turgor
• B. Blood Pressure
• C. Respiratory Rate
• D. Pulse Pressure

Answer: (A)

Dehydration from diarrhea directly affects hydration status, and tissue turgor reflects how hydrated the skin is. When fluid loss occurs, the skin loses elasticity and will stay tented after you pinch it, taking longer to return to its normal shape. That reduced skin elasticity is what tissue turgor measures, so it would be expected to decrease as dehydration progresses. Other signs like blood pressure, respiratory rate, or pulse pressure can change with dehydration, but they’re less specific indicators of hydration status and can vary for other reasons. Blood pressure may stay normal until substantial fluid loss, respiratory rate can rise for various reasons, and pulse pressure can narrow—yet none points as clearly to hydration as tissue turgor does.

Dehydration from diarrhea directly affects hydration status, and tissue turgor reflects how hydrated the skin is. When fluid loss occurs, the skin loses elasticity and will stay tented after you pinch it, taking longer to return to its normal shape. That reduced skin elasticity is what tissue turgor measures, so it would be expected to decrease as dehydration progresses.

Other signs like blood pressure, respiratory rate, or pulse pressure can change with dehydration, but they’re less specific indicators of hydration status and can vary for other reasons. Blood pressure may stay normal until substantial fluid loss, respiratory rate can rise for various reasons, and pulse pressure can narrow—yet none points as clearly to hydration as tissue turgor does.