In planning care for Addison's disease, which nursing intervention best prevents deficient fluid volume?

• A. Monitor mentation
• B. Monitor vital signs, skin turgor, and intake/output
• C. Encourage low-sodium foods
• D. Encourage fluid intake of at least 2000 mL per day

Answer: (B)

Deficient fluid volume in Addison’s disease arises from aldosterone deficiency, which leads to sodium loss and water loss, reducing circulating volume. The best nursing intervention to prevent this is to consistently monitor signs of fluid status—vital signs (watch for tachycardia, hypotension, orthostatic changes), skin turgor, and intake/output—so you can detect dehydration early and intervene promptly. This ongoing assessment helps you catch subtle changes before they become dangerous, guiding timely fluid or electrolyte management. Monitoring mentation is important but doesn’t directly prevent fluid loss on its own. Encouraging low-sodium foods would worsen the problem, since these patients often need adequate or higher sodium to replace losses. Recommending a fixed fluid goal like 2000 mL per day isn’t as responsive as real-time assessment of how much fluid the patient actually needs based on ongoing losses and status.