Lab Interpretation

Question 1

What is the nurse’s responsibility when it comes to lab interpretations?

Answer 1

Hospital protocols, assessment (abnormal values, trends, effect on the patient, potential effects on the patient), interventions, evaluation

Question 2

Name some electrolytes

Answer 2

Calcium, sodium, chloride, potassium, magnesium

Question 3

What labs can show up on results?

Answer 3

Electrolytes, renal studies, CBC, glucose, urinalysis

Question 4

What’s included in a CBC?

Answer 4

White blood cells, red blood cells, platelets

Question 5

What are examples of collection errors?

Answer 5

Wrong patient, contaminated, drawn above IV, difficult draw

Question 6

What’s the normal range for glucose?

Answer 6

74-106 mg/dl fasting,

<200 non-fasting

Question 7

What’s the normal range for blood urea nitrogen, or BUN?

Answer 7

10-20 mg/dl

Question 8

What is the end product of protein metabolism? Elevated?

Answer 8

Blood urea nitrogen

Elevated can indicate inadequate kidney function, dehydration, GI bleeding, high protein diet

Question 9

Explain hypoglycemia, CM?

Answer 9

Can result from an insulin reaction. Inadequate food intake.
Headache, confusion, hunger, irritability, nervousness, restlessness, sweating, weakness

Question 10

What are the normal ranges for creatinine?

Answer 10

Males: 0.6-1.2 mg/dl
Females: 0.5-1.1 mg/dl

Question 11

Explain creatinine, increased and decreased

Answer 11

Increased is kidney disorders/failure, rhabdomyolysis

Decreased is lower muscle mass

Question 12

Patients on what will see an increase in their blood glucose levels

Answer 12

Steroids

Prednisone, Solu Medrol, Decadron

Question 13

What are the three P’s?

Answer 13

Polyphagia, polydipsia, polyuria

Question 14

What can hyperglycemia be indicative of?

Answer 14

Diabetes, steroids, TPN, 3 P’s

Question 15

What is the normal range for sodium? CM?

Answer 15

136-145 mEq/L

CNS changes

Question 16

What is the most abundant extracellular electrolyte? Functions?

Answer 16

Sodium. Regulates water balance, controls ECF volume, increases cell membrane permeability, stimulates conduction of nerve impulses, helps maintain neuromuscular irritability, controls contractility of muscles

Question 17

What is hyponatremia indicative of?

Answer 17

Below 136 Na. CHF, malabsorption, inadequate intake, diarrhea, diaphoresis, dilution fluid overload

Question 18

What is hypernatremia indicative of?

Answer 18

Dehydration, diuretic therapy, starvation

Question 19

What is the normal range for potassium? CM?

Answer 19

3.5-5 mEq/L

Muscle weakness, cardiac dysrhythmias

Question 20

What is the most abundant intracellular cation? Functions?

Answer 20

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.

Question 21

What is indicative of hypokalemia?

Answer 21

Potassium. Diarrhea, diuresis, vomiting

Question 22

What is indicative of hyperkalemia?

Answer 22

Renal failure, burns, crash injuries, meds (ACE inhibitors, NSAID)

Question 23

What should be known about potassium administration?

Answer 23

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.

Question 24

What is the normal range for magnesium? CM?

Answer 24

1.3-2.1 mEq/L

Cardiac dysrhythmia, reflex reaction

Question 25

An intracellular cation that moves with potassium. Functions?

Answer 25

Magnesium. Main functions are neurochemical activities, cardiac and skeletal muscle excitability. Controls the absorption of sodium, potassium, calcium, and phosphorous. Excreted by the kidneys.

Question 26

What is indicative of hypomagnesemia?

Answer 26

Malnutrition/malabsorption, hypoparathyroidism

Question 27

What is indicative of hypermagnesemia?

Answer 27

Renal insufficiency, hypothyroidism, ESRD: end-stage renal disease

Question 28

What is the normal range for calcium? CM?

Answer 28

9-10.5 mg/dl | Neuromuscular irritability/muscle weakness, numbness, tingling.

Question 29

Released in the serum. Inverse relationship with phosphate. Functions?

Answer 29

Calcium, found in the teeth and bones. Bone formation, muscle contractions, blood clotting, transmission of nerve impulses. Regulated by parathyroid and thyroid glands.

Question 30

What is the range for a normal WBC?

Answer 30

5,000-10,000 mm3

Question 31

An elevated WBC, most commonly indicates infection.

Answer 31

Leukocytosis | Can also be associated with disease of the bone marrow, drug reactions, disorders of the immune system

Question 32

A low WBC, most commonly indicates bone marrow depression.

Answer 32

Leukopenia Can also be associated with viral infections, destruction of the bone marrow, cancer treatments, certain drugs, certain diseases of the liver or spleen

Question 33

Normal RBC?

Answer 33

Males: 4.7-6.1 million/ul Females: 4.2-5.4 million/ul

Question 34

``` Normal hemoglobin (Hgb)? Oxygen carrying protein ```

Answer 34

Males: 14-18 g/dl Females: 12-16 g/gl

Question 35

Normal hematocrit (Hct)? Percent of blood that consists of RBC

Answer 35

Males: 42-52% Females: 37-47%

Question 36

Percentages of WBCs in the blood?

Answer 36

``` Neutrophils 55-70% Lymphocytes 20-40% Monocytes 2-8% Eosinophils 1-4% Basophils 0.5-1% ```

Question 37

What is the life span of RBCs? Main sites of production? Destruction?

Answer 37

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.

Question 38

What is low RBC, Hgb, Hct count indicative of? | What is high RBC indicative of?

Answer 38

Anemia, circulatory overload Dehydration, polycythemia vera

Question 39

What's a normal platelet count?

Answer 39

150,000-400,000

Question 40

Essential for clotting. What is thrombocytopenia? What is thrombocytosis?

Answer 40

Platelets Thrombocytopenia is decreased platelet count. Thrombocytosis is when the body produces too many platelets, leading to an increased risk of clotting

Question 41

What factors can influence urinalysis?

Answer 41

Fluid balance, kidney function, sugar imbalance, infection