Question

A client with peptic ulcer disease develops a penetrating stomach ulcer.  This is an example of an upper GI hemorrhage.  These hemorrhages leads to blood loss, which often causes anemia of acute blood loss.  

After endoscopic repair within 12h, a blood draw is performed.  Biochemistry results are as follows:

Ferritin NORMAL

Vitamin B12 NORMAL

Vitamine B9 NORMAL

Predict the results that the RN would expect for the hematology measurements indicated below that would align with an acute hemorrhage:

RBC count would be (low, high, normal)

Hemoglobin would be (low, high, normal)

MCV would be (Microcytic, Normocytic, Macrocytic, Megaloblastic)

MCHC would be (Hypochromic, Normochromic, Hyperchromic)

Hct would be  (low, high, normal)

Reticulocyte count would be (low, high, normal)

Answer 1

RBC count would be low.

Haemoglobin would be low .

MCV would be normocytic .

MCHC would be normochromic .

HCT would be low .

Reticulocyte would be high.

A high reticulocyte count with low RBC's , low haemoglobin and low hematocrit indicates bleeding.