In a patient with hyponatremia and fluid volume excess, which nursing intervention is appropriate?

• A. Fluid restriction
• B. Administer hypotonic IV fluids
• C. Administer a cation-exchange resin
• D. Place an indwelling urinary catheter

Answer: (A)

When a patient has hyponatremia with fluid volume excess, the priority is to reduce the excess free water that’s diluting the serum sodium. Fluid restriction directly targets that overabundance of body water, helping to raise the serum sodium concentration toward normal and lessen edema. Giving hypotonic IV fluids would add more free water and worsen the hyponatremia. A cation-exchange resin isn’t a standard treatment for dilutional hyponatremia and can introduce electrolyte imbalances; it’s not used for this situation. Placing an indwelling urinary catheter may help monitor output but doesn’t address the underlying excess fluid; it also carries infection risk without solving the sodium dilution problem.