ER Basics Flashcards
(19 cards)
Lab: Sodium
To see how well your body balances fluids and electrolytes.
“We’re checking your salt level to see how your body is managing water and hydration.”
Lab: Potassium
To monitor heart and muscle function.
“We’re checking your potassium, which helps keep your heart and muscles working right.”
Lab: Chloride
To help evaluate fluid balance and acid-base status.
“This tells us how well your body is staying balanced with fluids and pH.”
Lab: CO2 (Bicarbonate)
To assess acid-base balance in the blood.
“This helps us see if your body’s acid levels are in a healthy range.”
Lab: BUN (Blood Urea Nitrogen)
To assess kidney function.
“This shows how well your kidneys are getting rid of waste.”
Lab: Creatinine
To check how well your kidneys are working.
“Creatinine tells us how well your kidneys are filtering waste.”
Lab: Glucose
To monitor blood sugar levels.
“This tells us your blood sugar level—important for energy and diabetes screening.”
Lab: Calcium
For bone health, nerve, and heart function.
“We’re checking your calcium—it helps your bones, muscles, and heart work properly.”
Lab: Albumin
To assess liver function and nutrition status.
“This protein shows us how well your liver is working and if you’re getting enough nutrients.”
Lab: Total Protein
To evaluate nutrition and liver/kidney health.
“We’re checking your protein levels to see how your body is doing overall with nutrition and organ health.”
Lab: Globulin
To assess immune function and liver health.
“This measures proteins that help fight infection and tells us about your liver too.”
Lab: A/G Ratio (Albumin/Globulin)
To compare types of protein and detect liver or immune issues.
“This compares two types of proteins and can show us if there’s a liver or immune system concern.”
Lab: Total Bilirubin
To assess liver function or bile flow problems.
“This checks for liver problems or blockage in your bile flow, which can cause yellowing of the skin.”
Lab: Alkaline Phosphatase (ALP)
To detect liver or bone problems.
“This can tell us if there’s an issue with your liver or bones.”
Lab: AST (Aspartate Aminotransferase)
To evaluate liver or muscle damage.
“This checks for possible liver problems or muscle damage.”
Lab: ALT (Alanine Aminotransferase)
To check for liver damage.
“This test shows how healthy your liver is.”
Lab: Anion Gap
To assess acid-base imbalances in the body.
“This helps us see if your body has too much or too little acid.”
Lab: GFR (Glomerular Filtration Rate)
To measure how well your kidneys are filtering blood.
“This tells us how well your kidneys are cleaning your blood.”
Lab: Creatinine Clearance
To estimate kidney function over time.
“We’re measuring how fast your kidneys clear waste out of your body.”
