IV/Osmosis

[kvdyer]

This is the situation on the work sheet

"After finishing her initial duties, Carol heard Dr. Greene saying, "It looks like the bullet missed the liver and kidney, but it may have severed an artery. That's probably why his BP is a bit low. Carol, grab a liter of saline and start a fast IV drip ... we need to increase his blood volume." Carol grabbed one of the fluid-filled bags from the nearby shelf, attached a 12-gauge IV needle to the plastic tubing, and gently slipped the needle into the patient's antecubital vein. She then hung the plastic bag on the IV stand and let the fluid quickly start to flow down the tubing and into the patient's vein." Basically the nurse accidentally gives the patient distilled water instead of saline and he dies. Before he dies, the patient's oxygen levels drop and his heart rate quickens.

The question I do not understand is: Explain why the patient's oxygen levels fall and his heart rate increases?

[JustBeachyNurse, LPN]

So what do you know about the physiology of the scenario? What happens in shock? What happens in hypoxia then hypoxemia? What happens when the hemoglobin carrying RBCs burst from water vs saline (hemolysis of RBCs)?

[PNW0212]

As far as I've heard, there is a reason that the heart rate will always increase before decreasing in situations like that. If you need a detailed answer, look in a textbook, or my personal favorite, google it! :-)