NURSING 200 Oxygen, Fluid Balance
and Electrolytes
***Fluid & electrolyte:
• Serum osmolality: a measure of the different solutes in plasma. It is primarily
determined by sodium.
• Dependent edema: caused by the effects of gravity & occurs when fluid pools in the
lower parts of the body, including the feet, legs, or hands.
• Third space syndrome: occurs when too much fluid moves from the intravascular
space into the interstitial or "third" space - the nonfunctional area between cells.
• Nondependent edema: swelling is not focused on the dependent body areas (face,
hands. Not on lower body parts)
• Fluid volume excess: Too much fluid in the body. Retains both water &
electrolytes (sodium) in the extracellular fluid in equal proportions.
• Active transport: substances move across a cell membrane through the use of
a carrier molecule.
• Osmosis: movement of water – from a solution of lower concentration to higher.
• Diffusion: movement of molecule – from a solution if higher concentration to lower.
• Filtration: the movement of water & solutes through the membrane by fluid, or
hydrostatic, pressure.
• Extravasation: The movement of white blood cells from the capillaries to the tissues
surrounding them.
• Infiltration: The migration of cells from their sources of origin, or the direct extension
of cells as a result of unusual growth & multiplication.
• Phlebitis: The inflammation of a vein. Occurs in veins on the surface of the skin.
• Isotonic Solution: has the same concentration of solutes as blood plasma.
• Hypertonic solution: has a greater concentration of solutes then blood plasma.
• Hypotonic solution: has a lesser concentration of solute than blood plasma.
***Respiratory
• Cheyne stokes: an abnormal pattern of breathing characterized by progressively
deeper & sometimes faster breathing followed by a gradual decrease that results in a
temporary stop in breathing called an apnea (conditions effecting movement of air)
• Biot’s: an abnormal pattern of breathing characterized by groups of quick, shallow
inspirations followed by regular or irregular periods of apnea (conditions effecting
movement of air)
, • Kussmaul: a deep & labored breathing pattern often associated with severe
metabolic acidosis, particularly diabetic ketoacidosis (DKA) but also kidney failure
(conditions effecting movement of air)
• Orthopnea: shortness of breath that occurs when lying flat, causing the person to
have to sleep propped up in bed or sitting in a chair
• Hypoxia: insufficient oxygen anywhere in the body
• Eupnea: normal, good, unlabored breathing, sometimes known as quiet breathing or
resting respiratory rate
• Dyspnea: difficult or labored breathing
• Vesicular: the soft, low-pitched, normal breath sounds heard over peripheral lung
fields
• Bronchial: over the trachea has a higher pitch, louder, inspiration & expiration are
equal & there is a pause between inspiration & expiration
• Bronchovesicular: the normal breath sound heard over major bronchi,
characterized by moderate pitch & an equal duration of inspiration & expiration
• Wheezes: whistling or rattling sound in the chest, as a result of obstruction in the air
passages.
• Rubs: grating sound.
• Crackles: fine crackling or bubbling sounds, commonly heard during inspiration
when there is fluid in the alveoli.
• Rhonchi (gurgles): lower pitched, sonorous sound
***Normal/ Abnormal lab levels and role
Normal levels
Potassium (K):
• 3.5 – 5.0 mEq/L
• main intracellular electrolyte
• very important in the electrical activity of the heart
Magnesium (Mg):
• 1.3 – 2.1 mEq/L
• important in maintaining neuromuscular activity within the body
Calcium (Ca):
• 9.0 – 10.5 mEq/L
• important in bone formation
• plays a role in blood coagulation
• it is stored in the body (in bones)
and Electrolytes
***Fluid & electrolyte:
• Serum osmolality: a measure of the different solutes in plasma. It is primarily
determined by sodium.
• Dependent edema: caused by the effects of gravity & occurs when fluid pools in the
lower parts of the body, including the feet, legs, or hands.
• Third space syndrome: occurs when too much fluid moves from the intravascular
space into the interstitial or "third" space - the nonfunctional area between cells.
• Nondependent edema: swelling is not focused on the dependent body areas (face,
hands. Not on lower body parts)
• Fluid volume excess: Too much fluid in the body. Retains both water &
electrolytes (sodium) in the extracellular fluid in equal proportions.
• Active transport: substances move across a cell membrane through the use of
a carrier molecule.
• Osmosis: movement of water – from a solution of lower concentration to higher.
• Diffusion: movement of molecule – from a solution if higher concentration to lower.
• Filtration: the movement of water & solutes through the membrane by fluid, or
hydrostatic, pressure.
• Extravasation: The movement of white blood cells from the capillaries to the tissues
surrounding them.
• Infiltration: The migration of cells from their sources of origin, or the direct extension
of cells as a result of unusual growth & multiplication.
• Phlebitis: The inflammation of a vein. Occurs in veins on the surface of the skin.
• Isotonic Solution: has the same concentration of solutes as blood plasma.
• Hypertonic solution: has a greater concentration of solutes then blood plasma.
• Hypotonic solution: has a lesser concentration of solute than blood plasma.
***Respiratory
• Cheyne stokes: an abnormal pattern of breathing characterized by progressively
deeper & sometimes faster breathing followed by a gradual decrease that results in a
temporary stop in breathing called an apnea (conditions effecting movement of air)
• Biot’s: an abnormal pattern of breathing characterized by groups of quick, shallow
inspirations followed by regular or irregular periods of apnea (conditions effecting
movement of air)
, • Kussmaul: a deep & labored breathing pattern often associated with severe
metabolic acidosis, particularly diabetic ketoacidosis (DKA) but also kidney failure
(conditions effecting movement of air)
• Orthopnea: shortness of breath that occurs when lying flat, causing the person to
have to sleep propped up in bed or sitting in a chair
• Hypoxia: insufficient oxygen anywhere in the body
• Eupnea: normal, good, unlabored breathing, sometimes known as quiet breathing or
resting respiratory rate
• Dyspnea: difficult or labored breathing
• Vesicular: the soft, low-pitched, normal breath sounds heard over peripheral lung
fields
• Bronchial: over the trachea has a higher pitch, louder, inspiration & expiration are
equal & there is a pause between inspiration & expiration
• Bronchovesicular: the normal breath sound heard over major bronchi,
characterized by moderate pitch & an equal duration of inspiration & expiration
• Wheezes: whistling or rattling sound in the chest, as a result of obstruction in the air
passages.
• Rubs: grating sound.
• Crackles: fine crackling or bubbling sounds, commonly heard during inspiration
when there is fluid in the alveoli.
• Rhonchi (gurgles): lower pitched, sonorous sound
***Normal/ Abnormal lab levels and role
Normal levels
Potassium (K):
• 3.5 – 5.0 mEq/L
• main intracellular electrolyte
• very important in the electrical activity of the heart
Magnesium (Mg):
• 1.3 – 2.1 mEq/L
• important in maintaining neuromuscular activity within the body
Calcium (Ca):
• 9.0 – 10.5 mEq/L
• important in bone formation
• plays a role in blood coagulation
• it is stored in the body (in bones)
