Question

Nursing Skill/Concept: Laboratory Test Procedure Name: Hematocrit Name: Date: Indications (Symptoms Pt. may be displaying) Nursing Interventions Potential Complications Outcomes/Evaluations Patient Education

Answer 1

Haematocrit test.

It is the type of blood test which is performed under complete blood cell count,

Hematocrit shows the amount and the percentage of red blood cell in the volume of blood in the human body. red blood cell is very important from a health perspective as it transports Oxygen and various other nutrients to the different body parts,

To maintain the functioning of the body it is important to keep the proportional amount of hematocrit in the RBC.

Indications of hematocrit test.

1. it is indicated when there is very less or too much RBC present in the blood, it is advised by the doctor for the hematocrit test.

2. hematocrit test is performed to determine the efficacy of the red blood cells and their response towards the treatment.

Symptoms which indicates the need for hematocrit test.

1. Deficiency of nutrients urges Oxygen and iron in the blood that leads to anaemia with symptoms such as,

a) difficulty in breathing.

b) weakness.

c) pain in the chest.

d) pallor skin.

2. cancer of tissues which helps in the formation of blood such as, leukaemia, myeloma, etc.

3.Lack of fluid or water in the body /dehydration.

Normal percentage of hematocrit is.

Men: 45 %to 52%

Women: 36 to 46%

NURSING INTERVENTIONS.

Special preparation prior to the procedure is not needed,

a)A small sample of blood is withdrawn from the patient's arm and will be collected by the nurse using a needle of small size in the sample bottle, and the sample is sent to the laboratory for hematocrit test.

b) The nurse will instruct the client if there is a need to be on Nil per oral or not, it is only advice when more than one blood test is to be performed with the sample.

Potential complications.

Very slight pain can be felt by the client and the puncture site and also and goes away quickly.

Outcome / evaluation.

When hematocrit is too low, the outcome can be.

a) diseases related to kidney.

b) disease of bone marrow.

Bone marrow helps in the formation of red blood cells.

c) cancerous cell suggest leukaemia or myeloma.

d) anaemia due to lack of oxygen in the red blood cell.

e) deficiency of certain nutrients suggest vitamin B12 and folic acid.

When Haematocrit is too high, the outcome can be.

a) dehydration due to lack of water or fluid in the blood.

b) heart diseases by birth or congenital heart diseases.

c) diseases associated with lungs.

d) when there is an abnormal increase in blood cells for example in polycythemia vera.

When little low or little high hematocrit level is present, that doesn't necessarily mean that the patient needs treatment, it can be treated with dietary supplements or restriction of certain supplements when it is slightly high.

Patient education.

Educate the client that there are few conditions in which hematocrit level can be increased or can be decreased such as,

1.Gestation: demand for RBC is increased during pregnancy and their possibility that haematocrit level can be decreased.

2. People who live on high altitude.

On high altitude, there is a lack of oxygen present in the atmosphere that leads to low Haematocrit in the RBC'S.

3. Transfusion of blood.

continuous or sudden transfusion of blood can cause a rise or fall in the haematocrit level.

4. Loss of blood or haemorrhage.

Loss of blood can lead to a low level of haematocrit in the RBC.

5. Diarrhoea or dehydration.

loss of fluid from the body through diarrhoea or dehydration can lead to changes in the hematocrit level.