Really need help with electrolytes and fluids

Nursing Students Student Assist

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I need help! My test is next Monday and it is supposed to be the hardest of the semester! I am learning about F&E and our professor told us to just focus on potassium and sodium. I am having trouble understanding Hypo/hypernatremia and hypo/hyperkalemia. I heard from previous nursing students that the F&E tests have scenario questions and that I really need to be on top of my game for this. I need to know symptoms, causes, interventions and all the important things of these electrolytes. Does anyone know of any valuable resources that help in understanding those two electrolytes? I have looked in many places and still cant seem to grasp the concept. Also does anyone know of any good websites that have practice questions so I can prep myself into what they are looking for in the questions?

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i copied tea's post!!!!!! immediately

Thank you all so much for breaking down the different types of solutions in easy to understand terms. I am a new graduate, getting ready to take the NCLEX and am really struggling with the fluid and electrolyte concepts. To boot, I got a job in the ER to start after I pass the test and am somewhat intimidated at the thought of having to know all of this, especially in an emergent situation. Just when I think I've got it, I fear not being able to act on it quickly. Any ideas?

Bealadybug

Did you read those posts above, the ones with a bazillion "likes"? You will certainly see people with hyponatremia and hypernatremia in the ER. You'll see hyper- and hypokalemia too. Remember: most sodium is outside the cells, so serum Na+ is the big number. Most potassium is inside the cells, so serum K+ is the small number. (There are two letters in Na and one in K, if that helps you remember that).

Short and sweet, quick and dirty:

Serum sodium tells you about water balance, as above.

The biggest effect of potassium derangement is on muscles...and what's the most important muscle in your body? Bingo, cardiac. So what happens when serum K+ is low and so K+ wants to leave the cardiac muscle cells? What do they do? They get twitchy, that's what. Tachyarrythmias (like PVCs)...

"Remember: most sodium is outside the cells, so serum Na+ is the big number. Most potassium is inside the cells, so serum K+ is the small number."

I'm sorry "big number?" are you talking about the range? I'm not trying to be a dummy, but I have so much info in my head, I am struggling to make it all make sense. I am hoping so that it all starts to come together. Right now I feel like I only know a couple of ranges, and some consequences of potassium (heart), sodium (neuro), calcium (bones).

Specializes in None yet..
"Remember: most sodium is outside the cells, so serum Na+ is the big number. Most potassium is inside the cells, so serum K+ is the small number."

I'm sorry "big number?" are you talking about the range? I'm not trying to be a dummy, but I have so much info in my head, I am struggling to make it all make sense. I am hoping so that it all starts to come together. Right now I feel like I only know a couple of ranges, and some consequences of potassium (heart), sodium (neuro), calcium (bones).

There will be other more critical problems long before the bones are involved! Calcium blocks sodium channels and inhibits depolarization of nerve and muscle fibers; low calcium levels lower the threshold for depolarization. Remember the symptoms with "CATS go numb"- Convulsions, Arrhythmias, Tetany and numbness/parasthesias in hands, feet, around mouth and lips.

"Remember: most sodium is outside the cells, so serum Na+ is the big number. Most potassium is inside the cells, so serum K+ is the small number."

I'm sorry "big number?" are you talking about the range?

Yes-- normal range for K+ is in the single digits, where Na+ is in the three-digit range.

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