Inpatient (Acute) vs Outpatient (Chronic)

[shamrick24]

I've been doing outpatient dialysis for a 30 bed unit. I've heard we pull fluid more aggressively in the clinic as they are generally more stable. I know that it is basically one to one, nurse to patient ratio. How does Acutes differ exactly from a clinic?

[Erikadawn RN]

In the clinic you actually know your patients and what they can tolerate. In the acutes you will often get patients that you do not know. Generally the nephrologost may know the patient from a chronic unit and will know the situation. I work in acutes and chronucs and when my chronic patient comes into the hospital, I have to gauge there illness with the dialysis treatment. Such as Mr. Doe usually can pull 4 liters of fluid at the chronic unit, but now the he is in the hospital with vomiting and diarrhea, and has not eating for 3 days, I know that I can't pull 4 liters.