In diabetes insipidus, what urinary characteristic should the nurse expect?

In diabetes insipidus, the primary urinary characteristic that a nurse should expect is decreased specific gravity. This condition is characterized by a deficiency in the production or action of antidiuretic hormone (ADH), which leads to an inability of the kidneys to concentrate urine. As a result, the urine produced is very dilute, leading to a low specific gravity, typically less than 1.005.

The other characteristics often observed in diabetes insipidus align with the effects of excessive urination and hydration status. Urine osmolarity is decreased due to the inability to concentrate urine, which means options indicating increased urine osmolarity are not consistent with the condition. Since the kidneys are excreting large volumes of dilute urine, the serum sodium levels tend to increase because of the concentration effect of free water loss, making the assertion of increased serum sodium relevant but not directly reflective of the urine characteristics in this context. Decreased urine output does not apply here, as diabetes insipidus is associated with polyuria or excessive urine production rather than a reduction. Thus, the correct answer regarding urinary characteristics in diabetes insipidus focuses on decreased specific gravity due to the dilute nature of the urine produced.