Which laboratory value should the nurse prioritize assessing in a client taking oral prednisone alongside furosemide?

In a client taking oral prednisone and furosemide, prioritizing the assessment of potassium levels is crucial due to the potential for developing electrolyte imbalances. Prednisone, a corticosteroid, can cause potassium retention and sodium retention, leading to hyponatremia and hypokalemia. On the other hand, furosemide, a loop diuretic, can lead to increased potassium excretion, raising the risk of hypokalemia further.

This combination of medications increases the likelihood of a significant drop in potassium levels, which can result in serious cardiovascular issues, muscle weakness, and other complications. Therefore, monitoring potassium is essential to prevent these adverse effects and to respond promptly should levels fall outside the normal range.

In contrast, while assessing blood urea nitrogen, hemoglobin, and neutrophil counts is important in other clinical contexts, they are not as immediately relevant to the specific risks posed by the concurrent use of prednisone and furosemide. Blood urea nitrogen can indicate kidney function, hemoglobin levels can indicate anemia, and neutrophil counts can be essential for evaluating immune function, but they do not pose an immediate and direct risk to the patient like potassium levels do in this scenario. Thus, potassium monitoring takes precedence in