Which signs indicate dehydration that a CNA should report?

• A. Clear urine, thirst
• B. Dry mouth, dark amber urine, dizziness
• C. Dry mouth, thirst, dark amber urine, little or no urine, dizziness, weakness, confusion
• D. Confusion without dehydration signs

Answer: (C)

Recognizing dehydration relies on noticing multiple signs that show fluid deficit across different body systems. The strongest indicator set includes dry mouth, thirst, dark amber urine, little or no urine, dizziness, weakness, and confusion. Dry mouth and thirst point to reduced oral intake; dark amber urine means urine is concentrated from dehydration; little or no urine shows severely decreased fluid volume; dizziness and weakness reflect low circulating volume; confusion can occur from electrolyte imbalance or decreased brain perfusion. When several of these signs appear together, they warrant reporting promptly to prevent progression to more serious problems.

The other options either include signs that don’t point to dehydration (like clear urine, which suggests adequate hydration), or they omit key indicators (such as profound urine reduction or cognitive changes), or rely on confusion without other dehydration cues.