Fluid, Electrolyte, and Acid-Base Balance
A new graduate nurse is assigned to work with a preceptor in the
Emergency Department. It is a very busy day and it seems as if
every patient, regardless of chief complaint, has an issue with
fluid, electrolyte, and/or acid-base balance.
Patient 1:
The first patient the nurse sees is a 37-year-old landscaper who
is brought to the ED after collapsing on a job at the local country
club. He is slightly confused but is...