Wildest lab values you've ever seen?

[nerdtonurse?]

I was just wondering what's the most off the chart lab values (true values, not lab screw ups) that you'd encountered where the patient lived to discharge? I've seen:

Hgb 2.8 -- we just about emptied the blood bank.

PTT > 240

PT > 120

INR > 10

[Mrs.Rollins, ASN, RN]

Highest blood glucose: I've seen several over 1,500. These were new onset Type I diabetics.

Had one 3 weeks ago with a serum glucose of 1472.

[getoverit, BSN, RN, EMT-P]

I've only seen one patient live with a glucose >1500.

Had an Na+ of 108. That's mighty low but a several days on 3% salt and he ended up walking out with his family.

I"ve seen many ABGs with a pH

Of course the ubiquitous BAL .647, we thought it was in error so we re-drew it and it was .613. He was a dump job outside the ER door, found by a security guard.

[3rdcareerRN]

Ambulatory clinic patient w/ triglycerides of >2500. Blood looked like thick milk.

[ChristineN, BSN, RN]

Let's see:

Ca 16.2 pt was fine A&O came to the ER because he was "weak"

H&H 4/12 in a renal pt

INR of 48 in a pt on home coumadin that came in with sepsis

and of course, since in a past life I worked on an endo unit I saw my share of blood sugars in the 1,000-3,000 range. It doesn't surprise me. I cared more what their HgbA1C was on admission.

[Mabkay]

Recently admitted a patient with a sodium level of 92. I was rather busy with very frequent lab draws and 3% NS for the rest of the night. Doctors were thinking "beer potomania", or low sodium associated with drinking large quantities of beer. I had her for two nights and we had brought her sodium up to 110 by the time I left. Not sure what ended up happening, but I think her prognosis was good as long as the levels kept increasing -- slowly, of course.