Hypocalcemia may follow thyroid surgery if the parathyroid glands were removed accidentally. Signs and symptoms of hypocalcemia may be delayed for up to 7 days after surgery. Thyroid surgery doesn’t directly cause serum sodium, potassium, or magnesium abnormalities.

Option B: Hyponatremia may occur if the client inadvertently received too much fluid; however, this can happen to any surgical client receiving I.V. fluid therapy, not just one recovering from thyroid surgery.
Option C: Hyperkalemia is not associated with thyroid surgery. It is usually found in patients with reduced renal excretion of potassium and magnesium.
Option D: Hypermagnesemia usually is associated with reduced renal excretion of potassium and magnesium, not thyroid surgery.

In clients who smoke, the level of carcinoembryonic antigen is elevated. Therefore, it can’t be used as a general indicator of cancer. However, it is helpful in monitoring cancer treatment because the level usually falls to normal within 1 month if treatment is successful.

Option A: An elevated acid phosphatase level may indicate prostate cancer. Prostatic acid phosphatase is a non-specific phosphomonoesterase synthesized in prostate epithelial cells and its level proportionally increases with prostate cancer progression.
Option C: An elevated alkaline phosphatase level may reflect bone metastasis. When abnormal bone tissue is being formed by cancer cells, levels of alkaline phosphatase increase. Therefore, high levels of this enzyme could suggest that a patient has bone metastasis.
Option B: An elevated serum calcitonin level usually signals thyroid cancer. Calcitonin can be measured as a blood test to help diagnose medullary thyroid cancer and its level can indicate the amount of medullary thyroid cancer present before thyroid surgery.

Signs of iron-deficiency anemia include dyspnea, tachycardia, and pallor as well as fatigue, listlessness, irritability, and headache.

Option A: Night sweats, weight loss, and diarrhea may signal acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS).
Option C: Nausea, vomiting, and anorexia may be signs of hepatitis B.
Option D: Itching, rash, and jaundice may result from an allergic or hemolytic reaction.

A Cesarean section delivery isn’t necessary when the mother is HIV-positive.

Option A: The human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) is transmitted from mother to child via the transplacental route.
Option B: The use of birth control will prevent the conception of a child who might have HIV.
Option C: It’s true that a mother whose HIV positive can give birth to a baby who’s HIV negative.

The human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), which causes AIDS, is most concentrated in the blood. For this reason, the client shouldn’t share personal articles that may be blood-contaminated, such as toothbrushes and razors, with other family members.

Option A: There is no need to use gloves because HIV is not transmitted by bathing.
Option B: HIV cannot be transmitted through the utensils used by an infected person.
Option D: HIV isn’t transmitted by serving dishes used by a person with AIDS.