Question regarding parenteral fluids

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OK, I have a question about parenteral fluids. I asked this on the other forum and was told not to ask homework questions that are broad. This is not a homework question it is a learning objective that we are given as guidelines to tell whether or not we got everything out of lecture that the instructor expects. I have looked throughout my text and even searched online for an answer specific to parenteral fluids effect on distribution of fluid within the body. So here is what the objective states - Relate the effects of parenteral fluids upon fluid distribution and subsequent nursing considerations. Any help would be appreciated or if you have a website or something that I could go to and read to understand this. Thanks in advance!

~Erica

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could it be fluid overload?

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I was thinking fluid volume excess too. My thought was that you are giving parenteral fluids because their gut can't handle regular food or enteral fluids, so would they be able to absorb, or distribute the fluids as fast as they were receiving them?????

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This is what I had said - start looking for topics such as "fluid shift" and "electrolyte imbalances" and how to care for these patients. There's also the lovely little condition known as "third spacing". Fluid overload, water intoxication, different types of dehydration - look at things fluids are both given for and things that fluids can cause. Hyper, hypo, and isotonic fluids also have different effects on the intra and intervascular and inter/intracellular spaces and where and how they force fluid in and out of these spaces.

I personally learn things better when I look them up myself, so I'm giving you the kind of help that would be useful to me. Hopefully you'll be able to use it!

I also said that I think that objective is poorly written, which of course isn't your fault, but I can see where that statement might make it hard to know where to start.

GOOD LUCK! Post more questions if you have them. :typing

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Specializes in med/surg, telemetry, IV therapy, mgmt.

i think what they are getting at is that some fluids go directly into the tissue (intra/extracellular spaces) and some stay in the circulatory space. here is a chart of the commonly used iv fluids that has some of that information:

[attach]5949[/attach]

there is also an explanation of the difference between hypotonic, isotonic and hypertonic iv solutions on post #22 of this sticky thread:

between those two, that should answer your question for you.

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Thank you Daytonite and carolinapooh!! Someone PM'd me an article out of Nursing made Incredibly Easy called "Third Spacing, where has all the fluid gone" and that has helped tremendously now that I have read it and pulled out the A&P book a few times.

I think once I got it in my thick head that parenteral fluids are just IV fluids, not the same as TPN fluids I am wrapping my brain around it finally. I was really hung up thinking it was a specific type of parenteral fluid like TPN, not just any type of IV fluids, just because the word parenteral is in TPN. So this is what I have worked out. I think for the learning objective it has to do with third-spacing and so you will see increased BP, generalized edema, JVD is possible, respiratory issues need to be monitored or observed for from fluid volume excess, also will probably hear rales like in CHF since there will be fluid on the lungs, you will have skin integrity issues and increased risk for infection. You will want to monitor labs of sodium and potassium closely. Call HCP to see about getting diuretics on board, maybe the thiazide diuretics since they won't mess up the potassium? OK, anyone with corrections, please feel free to tear up my answer as I would prefer to know now that I don't have it down than on the 14th when I have my test!

~Erica :specs:

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