Lab + diagnostic reference
Labs and diagnostics.
What the values mean, what to prep, and what abnormal results signal. Nursing-side, with the source cited on every page.
How to use this
Reference ranges vary by lab and method. Verify every value against your facility's posted ranges and the source listed on the page before you act on it. 11 labs and diagnostics covered so far.
Full index
11 entries, alphabetical.
Bronchoscopy - Nursing Responsibilities
Your two jobs at a bronchoscopy are simple to name and hard to do: keep the airway open and catch respiratory trouble before it becomes an emergency. Everythi…
Chest X-ray (Chest Radiography) - Nursing Responsibilities
The chest x-ray is one of the most frequently ordered radiological exams on the floor. It is painless and noninvasive, using electromagnetic waves to image th…
Colonoscopy - Nursing Responsibilities and Procedures
A clean bowel makes or breaks this test. If the prep was incomplete, the scope sees stool instead of mucosa and the procedure gets repeated. The prep is your …
Cystoscopy - Nursing Responsibilities
After cystoscopy, pink-tinged urine and mild burning are expected. Bright red blood or clots, fever, or the inability to void are not. Knowing that line is th…
Echocardiogram - Nursing Responsibilities
For a standard transthoracic study there is almost nothing to prep: no NPO, no contrast, no recovery. Your job shifts to the harder versions, the transesophag…
Fecal Analysis (Stool Analysis) Nursing Responsibilities
Fecal analysis is a noninvasive lab test for disorders of the digestive tract: malabsorption, inflammation, infection (bacteria, viruses, fungi), or cancer. I…
Holter Monitoring - Nursing Responsibilities and Care Plan
A Holter monitor catches the arrhythmia a 12-lead misses. It records the heart continuously while the patient goes about a normal day, usually for 24 to 72 ho…
Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI)
MRI shows soft tissue that other imaging cannot. It sees through bone, delineates fluid-filled soft tissue in fine detail, and images organs and vessels in mo…
Mammography (Mammogram) - Nursing Responsibilities
Mammography is an x-ray of the breasts that finds cysts or tumors too small to palpate. A biopsy of a suspicious area confirms malignancy. Mammography may fol…
Normal Lab Values: Complete Reference
Lab values drive decisions at the bedside. You read them to confirm a diagnosis, track an illness, and judge how a patient is responding to treatment. Referen…
Pap Smear (Papanicolaou Smear) Nursing Responsibilities
A few simple things ruin a Pap smear: blood, lubricant, recent intercourse, douching. If the patient menstruated, douched, or used a tampon or vaginal cream t…