IV Fluids IV fluids are utilized for resuscitation, to replace fluid losses, and for maintenance hydration in patients who are not able or not allowed to drink water. Like all prescribed medications, IV fluids have benefits and risks. Fluid therapy should...

Joint Pain Assessment and Management Joint pain can stem from various causes, including injury, arthritis, infections, and other medical conditions (see chart below). Some causes are self-limiting, while others can be highly disabling and even life-threatening. Diagnosing and...

Managing Diabetes and Hyperglycemia in the Hospital Setting Hyperglycemia (blood glucose greater than 140 mg/dL [7.8 mmol/L]) is common in acutely ill patients with and without established diabetes and is strongly associated with poor hospital outcomes. For most inpatients, targeting a glucose...

Mental Health Assessment Mental health assessment is a critical component in the neurologic assessment and changes may have pathologic or pharmacologic causes. While the sequence of certain parts of this assessment is important, we must also be flexible in structuring...

Neurologic Assessment The neurologic assessment can help to localize neurologic diseases and differentiate between urgent and chronic conditions. It can be challenging to perform a comprehensive neurologic exam especially in infants/young children and in patients with...

Neurovascular Assessment Neurovascular assessment is performed when there is a suspicion of compromised blood flow or nerve damage, to detect early signs and symptoms of acute ischemia or compartment syndrome. Examples of injuries or procedures that place patients at risk...

Nursing Documentation Nursing documentation is a responsibility that spans across all nursing practice levels and settings. It is a crucial and fundamental skill that is necessary to deliver clear communication among interdisciplinary healthcare team members. Nursing...

Parenteral Nutrition (PN) Parenteral nutrition (PN) is an intravenous form of nutritional supplementation containing dextrose, amino acids, electrolytes, vitamins, minerals, trace elements, and fluids. Lipid emulsion may be infused separately or added to the solution...

Pressure Injury Assessment and Management Approximately 2.5 million pressure-induced injuries are treated each year in acute care facilities in the United States (Berlowitz, 2022b). Hospital-acquired pressure injuries are associated with pain, risk of infection, delayed recovery...

Pulmonary Assessment Focused pulmonary assessment begins with a thorough health history. While doing so, carefully observe for conversational dyspnea and other symptoms. Order of examination is performed as inspection, palpation, percussion, and auscultation.Optimal...

Quick Guide to Laboratory Values Use this convenient cheat-sheet to help you monitor laboratory values related to fluid and electrolyte status, acid-base balance and hematology. Remember, normal value ranges may vary according to techniques used in different laboratories.  

Recognizing and Managing Adult Viral Respiratory Infections Adult viral illnesses are a common cause of respiratory tract disease, with severity ranging from a mild cold to life-threatening influenza. The mechanisms by which respiratory viruses spread from person to person are variable and include...