Lab tests are used to help confirm a diagnosis, monitor an illness, and the patients response to treatment. How to read an d interpret a lab report what you dont know can hurt you. As emerging research regarding early mobilization and advancements in medical practice is evolving, the academy of acute care physical therapy american physical therapy association task force on lab values took on the mission of updating the laboratory values interpretation resource to better accommodate practitioners needs. Not much has changed since then because the students i work with, like many of you, continue to struggle with lab test interpretation. The program was run as a series of identical 4hour small group sessions to facilitate discussion and laboratory tours.
Advising clinicians on laboratory test selection and. Common laboratory blood tests such as thyroxine, tsh, t4, and t3 are done to evaluate thyroid function. Laboratory tests interpretation nurses learning network. List circumstances that may produce falsenegative or falsepositive laboratory results. Feb 26, 2009 this edition of basic skills in interpreting laboratory data, 4th edition is a casebased learning tool that will enhance your skills in clinical lab test interpretation.
Statistical aspects of reference values in clinical pathology. Professor fink identifies many of the most common blood tests run and describes how this data is interpreted and used to diagnose the condition of. Sep 07, 2011 clinlab navigator to go has all the hallmarks of a successful medical app. Familiarizing and interpreting laboratory values for nurses dont always have to feel that way. Clinical examination a comprehensive collection of clinical examination osce guides that include stepbystep images of key steps, video demonstrations and pdf mark schemes. Rishi is a pediatric infectious disease physician and works at khan academy. Teaching laboratory medicine to medical students archives of. Critical lab values cheat sheet medical estudy critical lab values looks like it would be helpful in pharmacology critical lab values list. A collection of guides to interpreting various laboratory tests, including liver function tests lfts, thyroid function tests tfts and more. Advising clinicians on laboratory test selection and results. Laboratory medicine plays an important role in daily clinical practice. Reference values vary based on several factors, including the demographics of the healthy population from which specimens were obtained and the specific methods andor. Well assume youre ok with this, but you can optout if you wish.
He saw the need for this textbook, had the vision to create the first edition, and edited the second edition. In my opinion, its an area that doesnt get the emphasis it. Thyroid studies normal lab values thyroid studies are performed if a thyroid disorder is suspected. In my opinion, its an area that doesnt get the emphasis it deserves during medical school. Free chromebook with 4gb ram, now included for all students with any of meditecs programs. Interpreting the complete blood count and differential. The most common tests include chemistry panels, hematology such as the complete blood count, and blood gases.
Interpreting chest and abdominal radiographs 202 10. Renal function reference range nursing implications conventional units blood urea nitrogen 1020 mg100 ml increased bun is found with impaired renal function such as associated bun with shock, heart failure, and salt and water depletion, diabetic ketoacidosis, and burns. This section features links to clinical practice resources on lab, medical and clinical tests such as hba1c, spirometry, tfts thyroid function tests, lfts liver function tests and. The provision of safe, efficient and competent care was the catalyst to offer a quick resource tool that would assist nurses in. Common analytes clinical chemistry is the branch of laboratory medicine that focuses primarily on molecules. Interpretation of lab data medical school university.
The use of clinical laboratory test results in diagnostic deci. It reflects the volume percentage of red blood cells in the whole blood. Analytic precision in clinical chemistry and medical decisions. Mean number of hours spent by medical students learning laboratory medicine. Nclex lab values chart nclex lab values, lab values. The lab test results were not called to the doctor because they were within the normal limits. Clinical examination a comprehensive collection of clinical examination osce guides that include stepbystep images of key steps, video demonstrations and pdf. A practical guide to interpreting blood test results dr graham basten. Sep 21, 2012 find out how health professionals use shorthand for labs and the meaning of normal ranges. Widmanns clinical interpretation of laboratory tests. It is based on underlying concepts that govern the proper use and interpretation of laboratory tests. Hematology absolute neutrophil count male 17805380l 1.
Utilize clinical laboratory data to monitor various disease states. Lab guide is a useful introduction to basic lab values for students and residents, providing clear explanations for each lab and appropriate differentials. Values took on the mission of updating the laboratory values interpretation resource to. Together they perform tests and investigations into all aspects of disease, including prevention, diagnosis, and treatment. Normal lab values common laboratory values meditec. Theres always the fear of messing things up and not being able to meet the patients health needs. Clinical practice consultant, revision september 2011. Define the normal ranges for the key chemistry values described in this course. See more ideas about lab values, nursing students and nursing tips. Understanding and interpretation of lab tests made. Rishi is a pediatric infectious disease physician and. This course was not designed to be a lab manual that you carry in.
Pdf the laboratory is an important part of medical diagnostic procedure, adding. May 30, 2017 this website uses cookies to improve your experience. Clinlab navigator to go has all the hallmarks of a successful medical app. It provides fundamentals of interpreting lab test results not only for pharmacy students, but also for practitioners as an aid in assessing patient drugtreatment responses. After consulting with clinical lab scientists, the task force was. Data interpretation for medical students 248 one may think of a cxr as a picture that contains five shades on a blackandwhite scale. Data interpretation almostadoctor medical encyclopaedia.
Identify common causes for abnormal laboratory values. Oct 18, 2019 knowing the different normal lab values is an important step in making an informed clinical decision as a nurse. The result is dependent on the size, structure, and total number of red blood cells. Jan 11, 2018 getting familiar with and interpreting laboratory values can be intimidating, particularly to new nurses. Urea bun is an indirect and rough measurement of renal function and glomerular filtration rate if normal liver function exists.
Alt and ast are measure indicators of liver disease. Laboratory results provide objective data about patient. Interpreting laboratory values amazon web services. Some clinicians advocate correction of serum creatinine to 1. Normal laboratory values merck manuals professional edition. Lab values for this course are taken from the rush medical laboratory rush university medical center, 2012. This app is recommended to healthcare professionals looking for detailed information regarding lab tests however the reliance on internet connectivity and consequent functionality must. This edition of basic skills in interpreting laboratory data, 4th edition is a casebased learning tool that will enhance your skills in clinical lab test interpretation. Laboratory values and interpretation a nurses ultimate. Well break them down by body system and help you understand how the numbers you see in the chart relate to whats actually happening to your patient. Laboratory tests, interpretation, and use of resources. Academy of acute care physical therapy apta task force. Knowing the different normal lab values is an important step in making an informed clinical decision as a nurse.
These shades represent four different natural tissues and one for artefacts. Basic skills in interpreting laboratory data continues to be the most popular teaching text on laboratory data for pharmacy students as well as the goto reference for pharmacists in therapeutic practice. Diagnostic and laboratory tests are tools that provide invaluable insights and information about the patient. Everything you need to know about laboratory medicine and its importance in the diagnosis of diseases. It contains extensive detail on a wide range of tests and at a very reasonable price. And there is most often no test for the laboratory medicine coursework, and. Medical students can learn lab values on their phones with. Lab values and their meanings acknowledgement the lpn lab values manual was first compiled in response to a lack of information in the form of a quick reference manual for licensed practical nurses in 2008. The results of clinical chemistry tests are compared to reference intervals or a medical decision level mdl to provide diagnostic and clinical meaning for the values. Choose from 500 different sets of lab value nursing interpretation flashcards on quizlet.
How to read and interpret a lab report what you dont know can hurt you. Reference values intervals for blood, urine, csf, stool, and other fluids eg, gastric acid and commonly used panels are included. Hematocrit hct hematocrit is also known as packed cell volume or pcv. Number of hours spent by medical students learning anatomic pathology. Find out how health professionals use shorthand for labs and the meaning of normal ranges. Laboratory test selection and interpretation learning. When i was a medical student, lab test interpretation was a difficult area for me. There are numerous laboratory tests that can be done. Basic skills in interpreting laboratory data, sixth. Using laboratory values can be a key piece of assessment to determine what is occurring within the body of a patient. Additionally, after completing this module, you will be able to discuss reasons why these common lab values may be either elevated or decreased.
This practice should be avoided, and the impact of this correction factor on glomerular filtration rate gfr estimates using the fourvariable modification of diet in renal disease study equation mdrd 4. Laboratory test selection and interpretation learning objectives 2014dji the graduating medical student should be able to. Pdf interpreting laboratory values in older adults. The interpretation presented are only related to possible functional involvement i have not included interpretation of gross abnormalities related to pathologies. Medical algorithms or decision trees are particularly useful in establishing a diagnosis based, in part, on information obtained from ordering the most appropriate ie, necessary laboratory tests. Selection and results interpretation with a diagnostic management team michael laposata, md, phd. Teaching medical students basic principles of laboratory. The lpn lab values manual was first compiled in response to a lack of information in the. This website uses cookies to improve your experience. Blood cell count 25oh vitamin d blood lead basic lab work interpretation. Laboratory medicine knowledge for medical students and. Now in its sixth edition, it has been expanded and updated to cover new drugs, research, and therapeutic approaches. Medically useful criteria for analytic performance of laboratory tests. Laboratory medicine involves the analysis and evaluation of body fluids such as blood, urine, or csf, the results of which are important for the prevention, diagnosis, and staging of diseases.
Remember that there is some variation in ranges based on the laboratory, so be aware of the normal ranges for your facility. Welcome to the interpreting lab, medical and clinical tests section of the website for physicians and pharmacists. This article suggests how to educate medical students about important. Laboratory medicine is a distinct medical discipline and a tool for patient care that is used in all specialties. Learn lab value nursing interpretation with free interactive flashcards. The results of the test will show if a person is within the normal lab values. However, it is important to note that it is not a comprehensive lab values guide, and could use more improvement in formatting as well as content. Data interpretations 2017 01 section dd 3 10102017 3. This section features links to clinical practice resources on lab, medical and clinical tests such as hba1c, spirometry, tfts thyroid function tests, lfts liver function tests and abgs arterial blood gases.
Interpret the clinical significance of abnormal laboratory values. Jun 24, 1989 analytic precision in clinical chemistry and medical decisions. Interpretation of clinical laboratory tests date dka. Demonstrate an understanding and ability to apply the concepts of diagnostic sensitivity and specificity of a laboratory test to a specific clinical situation. Well even walk you through how to draw blood in the right order and how to easily. Introduction to lab values and normal ranges youtube. Laboratory tests are procedures wherein a sample of blood, urine, other bodily fluid or tissue are checked in order to know more about a persons health. The lab values course will help you understand how to interpret some of the most common and most important laboratory values you might see in your patients. This course will take a closer look at these components.