A nurse is preparing to administer an osmotic diuretic IV to a client with increased intracranial pressure. Which of the following should the nurse identify as the purpose of the medication?

Choice A reason: Osmotic diuretics like mannitol remove fluid, not hydrate. They draw water from tissues, reducing brain edema, so providing hydration is the opposite effect, making this incorrect. Choice B reason: Expanding extracellular fluid volume would worsen edema. Osmotic diuretics reduce fluid in tissues, decreasing ICP, making this incorrect for the medication’s purpose in this scenario. Choice C reason: Increasing brain cell size would exacerbate ICP. Osmotic diuretics shrink cells by drawing out water, reducing edema, making this incorrect for the medication’s intended effect. Choice D reason: Osmotic diuretics reduce brain edema by drawing water from tissues into