NUR 2349 Assignment Fluid Imbalances

NUR 2349 Assignment Fluid Imbalances

Your written assignment for this module should be a 1-2 page
paper (not including title page and reference page) that describes the
following:

Describe what a fluid and electrolyte imbalance is and how
this is important to the function of the body?

Pick a fluid or electrolyte imbalance and describe how the
patient would present, in addition to the treatment (nursing and expected
medical)?

You should include a minimum of 3 scholarly references.

Click here to ORDER an A++ paper from our Verified MASTERS and DOCTORATE WRITERS:NUR 2349 Assignment Fluid Imbalances

Include a title page, in-text citations, and a reference page in APA format.

Submit your completed assignment by following the directions
linked below. Please check the Course Calendar for specific due dates.

Every part of your body needs water to function. When you are healthy, your body is able to balance the amount of water that enters or leaves your body.

A fluid imbalance may occur when you lose more water or fluid than your body can take in. It can also occur when you take in more water or fluid than your body is able to get rid of.

Causes

Your body is constantly losing water through breathing, sweating, and urinating. If you do not take in enough fluids or water, you become dehydrated.

Your body may also have a hard time getting rid of fluids. As a result, excess fluid builds up in the body. This is called fluid overload (volume overload). This can lead to edema (excess fluid in the skin and tissues).

Many medical problems can cause fluid imbalance:

After surgery, the body usually retains large amounts of fluid for several days, causing swelling of the body.
In heart failure, fluid collects in the lungs, liver, blood vessels, and body tissues because the heart does a poor job of pumping it to the kidneys.
When the kidneys do not work well because of long-term (chronic) kidney disease, the body cannot get rid of unneeded fluids.
The body may lose too much fluid due to diarrhea, vomiting, severe blood loss, or high fever.
Lack of a hormone called antidiuretic hormone (ADH) can cause the kidneys to get rid of too much fluid. This results in extreme thirst and dehydration.

Often, a high or low level of sodium or potassium is present as well.

Medicines can also affect fluid balance. The most common are water pills (diuretics) to treat blood pressure, heart failure, liver disease, or kidney disease.

Treatment

Treatment depends on the specific condition that is causing the fluid imbalance.

When to Contact a Medical Professional

Call your health care provider if you or your child has signs of dehydration or swelling, in order to prevent more serious complications.

Alternative Names

Water imbalance; Fluid imbalance – dehydration; Fluid buildup; Fluid overload; Volume overload; Loss of fluids; Edema – fluid imbalance; Hyponatremia – fluid imbalance; Hypernatremia – fluid imbalance; Hypokalemia – fluid imbalance; Hyperkalemia – fluid imbalance

References

Berl T, Sands JM. Disorders of water metabolism. In: Feehally J, Floege J, Tonelli M, Johnson RJ, eds. Comprehensive Clinical Nephrology. 6th ed. Philadelphia, PA: Elsevier; 2019:chap 8.

Hall JE. Urine concentration and dilution: regulation of extracellular fluid osmolarity and sodium concentration. In: Hall JE, ed. Guyton and Hall Textbook of Medical Physiology. 13th ed. Philadelphia, PA: Elsevier Saunders; 2016:chap 29.

Review Date 9/24/2019

Updated by: David C. Dugdale, III, MD, Professor of Medicine, Division of General Medicine, Department of Medicine, University of Washington School of Medicine. Also reviewed by David Zieve, MD, MHA, Medical Director, Brenda Conaway, Editorial Director, and the A.D.A.M. Editorial team.