Advanced Patient Assessment Practice Exam 2026 – Comprehensive Prep Resource

The assessment of kidney function often involves measuring waste products that accumulate in the blood when kidneys are not performing optimally. Blood Urea Nitrogen (BUN) is a laboratory test specifically designed to evaluate the level of urea nitrogen in the blood, which is produced during protein metabolism. Elevated BUN levels can indicate impaired kidney function, dehydration, or increased protein intake, among other conditions.

While creatinine is another important marker of kidney function, specifically from muscle metabolism, measuring BUN is valuable because it can provide additional insights into the patient's hydration status and overall metabolic state. In contrast, electrolytes measure various ions in the blood, important for several physiological functions but not directly a measure of kidney function. Albumin, a protein made by the liver, serves different diagnostic purposes and is not an indicator of kidney function directly. Thus, choosing BUN helps in understanding how well the kidneys are filtering this specific waste product from the bloodstream.