A nurse is caring for a client who has acute kidney injury (AKI). Which of the following arterial blood gas values would the nurse expect this client to have?

Rationale: A. pH 7.26, HCO₃ 24, PaCO₂ 46 is incorrect because this indicates respiratory acidosis (low pH with elevated PaCO₂). AKI primarily causes metabolic acidosis, not respiratory acidosis. B. pH 7.49, HCO₃ 24, PaCO₂ 30 is incorrect because this represents respiratory alkalosis (high pH with low PaCO₂). This is not typical of AKI. C. pH 7.49, HCO₃ 30, PaCO₂ 40 is incorrect because this represents metabolic alkalosis (high pH with elevated HCO₃). AKI typically causes acid retention, not alkalosis, unless there is excessive bicarbonate administration. D. pH 7.26, HCO₃ 14, PaCO₂ 30 is correct because it reflects metabolic acidosis with partial respiratory compensation, which is common in AKI. The kidneys fail to excrete hydrogen ions and cannot regenerate bicarbonate, leading to decreased HCO₃ and low pH. The lungs compensate by hyperventilating, which lowers PaCO₂ to partially correct the acidosis.