Lab Interpretation Flashcards
What is the nurse’s responsibility when it comes to lab interpretations?
Hospital protocols, assessment (abnormal values, trends, effect on the patient, potential effects on the patient), interventions, evaluation
Name some electrolytes
Calcium, sodium, chloride, potassium, magnesium
What labs can show up on results?
Electrolytes, renal studies, CBC, glucose, urinalysis
What’s included in a CBC?
White blood cells, red blood cells, platelets
What are examples of collection errors?
Wrong patient, contaminated, drawn above IV, difficult draw
What’s the normal range for glucose?
74-106 mg/dl fasting,
<200 non-fasting
What’s the normal range for blood urea nitrogen, or BUN?
10-20 mg/dl
What is the end product of protein metabolism? Elevated?
Blood urea nitrogen
Elevated can indicate inadequate kidney function, dehydration, GI bleeding, high protein diet
Explain hypoglycemia, CM?
Can result from an insulin reaction. Inadequate food intake.
Headache, confusion, hunger, irritability, nervousness, restlessness, sweating, weakness
What are the normal ranges for creatinine?
Males: 0.6-1.2 mg/dl
Females: 0.5-1.1 mg/dl
Explain creatinine, increased and decreased
Increased is kidney disorders/failure, rhabdomyolysis
Decreased is lower muscle mass
Patients on what will see an increase in their blood glucose levels
Steroids
Prednisone, Solu Medrol, Decadron
What are the three P’s?
Polyphagia, polydipsia, polyuria
What can hyperglycemia be indicative of?
Diabetes, steroids, TPN, 3 P’s
What is the normal range for sodium? CM?
136-145 mEq/L
CNS changes
What is the most abundant extracellular electrolyte? Functions?
Sodium. Regulates water balance, controls ECF volume, increases cell membrane permeability, stimulates conduction of nerve impulses, helps maintain neuromuscular irritability, controls contractility of muscles
What is hyponatremia indicative of?
Below 136 Na. CHF, malabsorption, inadequate intake, diarrhea, diaphoresis, dilution fluid overload
What is hypernatremia indicative of?
Dehydration, diuretic therapy, starvation
What is the normal range for potassium? CM?
3.5-5 mEq/L
Muscle weakness, cardiac dysrhythmias
What is the most abundant intracellular cation? Functions?
Potassium. Transmission of electrical impulses in cardiac and skeletal muscles, the rate and force of cardiac contractions and cardiac output. The kidneys control the excretion.
What is indicative of hypokalemia?
Potassium. Diarrhea, diuresis, vomiting
What is indicative of hyperkalemia?
Renal failure, burns, crash injuries, meds (ACE inhibitors, NSAID)
What should be known about potassium administration?
Follow protocol. Cannot be given via IV push or IM.
IV potassium must be diluted 10 mEq in 100 mL. Can only give 10 mEq an hour. Irritating to veins. If given PO, should take on a full stomach.
What is the normal range for magnesium? CM?
1.3-2.1 mEq/L
Cardiac dysrhythmia, reflex reaction
An intracellular cation that moves with potassium. Functions?
Magnesium. Main functions are neurochemical activities, cardiac and skeletal muscle excitability. Controls the absorption of sodium, potassium, calcium, and phosphorous. Excreted by the kidneys.
What is indicative of hypomagnesemia?
Malnutrition/malabsorption, hypoparathyroidism
What is indicative of hypermagnesemia?
Renal insufficiency, hypothyroidism, ESRD: end-stage renal disease
What is the normal range for calcium? CM?
9-10.5 mg/dl
Neuromuscular irritability/muscle weakness, numbness, tingling.
Released in the serum. Inverse relationship with phosphate. Functions?
Calcium, found in the teeth and bones. Bone formation, muscle contractions, blood clotting, transmission of nerve impulses. Regulated by parathyroid and thyroid glands.
What is the range for a normal WBC?
5,000-10,000 mm3
An elevated WBC, most commonly indicates infection.
Leukocytosis
Can also be associated with disease of the bone marrow, drug reactions, disorders of the immune system
A low WBC, most commonly indicates bone marrow depression.
Leukopenia
Can also be associated with viral infections, destruction of the bone marrow, cancer treatments, certain drugs, certain diseases of the liver or spleen
Normal RBC?
Males: 4.7-6.1 million/ul
Females: 4.2-5.4 million/ul
Normal hemoglobin (Hgb)? Oxygen carrying protein
Males: 14-18 g/dl
Females: 12-16 g/gl
Normal hematocrit (Hct)? Percent of blood that consists of RBC
Males: 42-52%
Females: 37-47%
Percentages of WBCs in the blood?
Neutrophils 55-70% Lymphocytes 20-40% Monocytes 2-8% Eosinophils 1-4% Basophils 0.5-1%
What is the life span of RBCs? Main sites of production? Destruction?
100-120 days.
Made in the bone marrow of the vertebrae, pelvis, ribs, sternum, skull, and proximal ends of the femur and humerus.
Spleen and liver.
What is low RBC, Hgb, Hct count indicative of?
What is high RBC indicative of?
Anemia, circulatory overload
Dehydration, polycythemia vera
What’s a normal platelet count?
150,000-400,000
Essential for clotting. What is thrombocytopenia? What is thrombocytosis?
Platelets
Thrombocytopenia is decreased platelet count.
Thrombocytosis is when the body produces too many platelets, leading to an increased risk of clotting
What factors can influence urinalysis?
Fluid balance, kidney function, sugar imbalance, infection
