Normal Lab Values
This electrolyte has a normal range of 135–145 mEq/L.
What is sodium?
A potassium level below 3.5 mEq/L is known by this term.
What is hypokalemia?
This CBC component measures the oxygen-carrying protein found in red blood cells.
What is hemoglobin?Confusion, headache, and lethargy can occur with this lo
Confusion, headache, and lethargy can occur with this low-sodium condition.
What is hyponatremia?
For a patient with critically low sodium, the nurse should institute these precautions because of neurologic complications.
What are seizure precautions?
This electrolyte has a normal range of 3.5–5.0 mEq/L.
What is potassium?
Tall, peaked T waves are associated with an elevated level of this electrolyte.
What is potassium?
A normal total WBC count ranges from 4,500–11,000 cells/µL. A count above 11,000 is called this
What is leukocytosis?
Tingling around the mouth, tetany, and positive Trousseau's and Chvostek's signs suggest this electrolyte abnormality.
What is hypocalcemia?
Before administering IV potassium replacement, the nurse should verify adequate function of this organ and confirm the patient is producing urine.
What are the kidneys?
This CBC component normally ranges from 150,000–400,000/µL and is essential for hemostasis.
What is the platelet count?
Sodium is often better understood as a problem involving the balance of this substance rather than simply the amount of salt in the body.
What is water?
These WBCs normally make up 40–60% of the differential and primarily target bacterial infections.
What are neutrophils?
Weakness, muscle cramps, decreased bowel sounds, flattened T waves, and U waves suggest this electrolyte imbalance.
What is hypokalemia?
A patient's potassium is critically abnormal. This type of monitoring should be initiated because of the risk for life-threatening dysrhythmias.
What is continuous ECG monitoring?
A fasting blood glucose within this range is considered normal.
What is 70–99 mg/dL?
A patient with vomiting and prolonged NG suction may develop an elevated bicarbonate level associated with this acid-base condition.
What is metabolic alkalosis?
These white blood cells primarily respond to parasites and allergens and normally make up 0–4% of the differential.
What are eosinophils?
A patient with elevated bilirubin may develop yellow sclera, dark tea-colored urine, pale stools, and this uncomfortable skin symptom.
What is itching/pruritus?
A patient's glucose is low, but the patient is alert and can safely swallow. The nurse should use this rule: give 15 grams of fast-acting carbohydrate and recheck the glucose in 15 minutes.
What is the 15-15 rule?
This CBC index normally measures 80–100 fL and represents the average size of a red blood cell.
What is MCV?
In severe hyperkalemia, treatment follows the sequence stabilize, shift, remove. This medication is given first to stabilize the cardiac membrane without actually lowering the potassium level.
What is IV calcium gluconate?
A patient has low RBCs, low WBCs, and low platelets. The CBC dashboard describes this pattern as a “factory shutdown” and gives it this name.
What is pancytopenia?
A patient with low albumin has severe peripheral edema but is hypotensive and tachycardic. This phenomenon explains how the patient can appear fluid overloaded while actually having low intravascular volume.
What is third spacing?
A patient's hemoglobin has dropped to this level, a clinical threshold at which a blood transfusion is typically considered.
What is ≤ 7.0 g/dL?