are fluids and electrolytes really THAT bad?

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Specializes in Coronary Care.

I always seem to hear horror stories on this topic from nursing students. I'll be learing it in my class in January so I googled some study guides of it and a lot of the basis seems to be ADH and renin angiotensin etc. I did well on this topic in physiology as far as critical thinking questions went..not just memorization. So is it really that difficult??

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Specializes in CVICU.

I just finished 1st semester. Honestly, the hardest part about it for me was remembering all the electrolyte 'normal' values, and signs/symptoms of F&E excesses and deficits (hypernatremia, hyponatremia, hypokalemia, hyperkalemia, etc).

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Specializes in Coronary Care.

Gotcha...i just feel like they make it to be that everything about it is just so beyond difficult...but that shouldnt be too bad with practice.

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It isn't that it's so HARD per se, it's just that many of the conditions have similar signs/symptoms with minor differences. In addition, we had to learn it all in a week because there was so much else to learn. The thing is, they are the basis for everything else moving forward (essentially) so it's really important to know them

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Specializes in Critical Care, Education.

If you have a solid background in chemistry & A&P, you should be fine. The most challenging areas are those that concern compensatory mechanisms - how they are triggered (chemical versus hormonal) and such.

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Specializes in Psych ICU, addictions.

If you are struggling, get "Fluid and Electrolytes Made Incredibly Easy." It breaks it down so anyone can understand it.

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No, I don't think it's that hard, but I hear a lot of stories of how it's taught poorly. Big difference. The "...Made Incredibly Easy" books are great. I did a small tutorial on F&E which has been posted here on AN several times...people seem to like it. :)

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if you're having trouble deciding between acidisis/alkalosis/metabolic/respiratory...go to youtube and type in abg tic tac toe.

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Specializes in Med-surg Telemetry, Leadership, Education.
If you are struggling get "Fluid and Electrolytes Made Incredibly Easy." It breaks it down so anyone can understand it.[/quote']

I second this advice. Great book! A must read, I kept it for review even after nursing school!

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In my experience, what GrnTea said is true. Fluids and electrolytes are often taught poorly. I tend to do well when I'm studying at understanding all of it, but once I'm sitting in front of a test I start getting it all backwards.

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Specializes in Forensic Psych.

I didn't find it all that difficult, but I attribute a lot of my understanding to having a background in chemistry and reading Fluid and Electrolytes Made Incredibly Easy.

My professors clearly do NOT have much in the way of chemistry knowledge, and it showed in this case.

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Specializes in Coronary Care.

I havent started the material to know if I am struggling or not but I always did well with endocrine pathways knowing what triggers what hormone, what happens when levels increase or decrease, etc.

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