Correcting INR

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This is probably a dumb nursing student question, but here goes. I heard a doctor ordering FFP today say "Correct her to 50,000." I know FFP is for clotting factors, and I'm assuming that she was specifying how much to give, but what exactly does 'correct to 50,000' mean?

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Specializes in Critical Care.

Are you sure the Doc wasn't referring to platelet transfusions with the goal to push the platelet count past 50,000?

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Specializes in Med-Surg.

Or was the pt actually receiving plasma to restore blood volume after a coumadin overdose with bleeding, given vit. k which would reverse all coumadin, switched to heparin while inpatient and waiting for vit k. to wear off, made an error ordering the units of heparin and asked someone to correct to 50,000 units of heparin?

I'm just spitting out a plausible scenario that could result in the key things you mentioned happened, the reality of the situation is that we can go all day thinking up things that can go with 50,000. My scenario actually makes a lot of sense, as will tons of others. We need more info and so do you.

My advice, think of this as a learning experience, and speak up if you have a question. I have never allowed anyone to make me feel stupid for asking a genuine question, and you shouldn't either. Remember you are asking for your pt as well as yourself.

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No, it was definitely FFP. She said something along the lines of 'We need to correct her to 50,000, so she'll be getting a lot of plasma today.'

But the nurse on the floor I asked said the same thing about platelets... maybe the doctor just misspoke.

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Specializes in ER/ICU/STICU.

Doctors can be wrong.

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Specializes in Critical Care, Trauma, Transplant.
Doctors can be wrong.

What?????? :eek:

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Specializes in ICU.
What?????? :eek:

This made me "lol"...haha

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FFP will definitely correct INR...I'm not sure what the 50,000 is all about...the doc probably said one thing and meant another.

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Specializes in Home Health.

The FFP and 'correct her to 50,000 might be a shorthand way of telling the staff to order FFP and Platelets. I dunno, if that's the case I would certainly be in the dark.

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