Easy way to interpret abg values in 7 simple steps overview of the 7 simple steps. Respiratory acidosis overdose, pneumonia, cns disorder 5. Interpretation of venous blood gases and detailed discussion of acidbase disturbances are discussed separately. Hes taught nurses, physicians, paramedics, and respiratory therapists. Simple method of acid base balance interpretation a four step method for interpretation of abgs. These disorders are termed complex acidbase or mixed disorders. An abg is a set of separate results rather separate measurements with a couple of things in common. However, the more complicated and in some ways more important part of abg analysis is ph regulation. A systematic approach to the interpretation of abg results step 1. To see how to perform an arterial blood gas check out our guide here. Arterial blood gas abg analysis is an essential part of diagnosing and managing a patients gas exchange and acidbase balance status, and can also be useful in providing immediate information about electrolyte status. As it is unable to combine with oxygen and it also decreases the oxygen carrying capacity of. Learning objectives the clinician after participating in the roundtable will be able to. We have created three arterial blood gas analysis slidesets.
Arterial blood gases abg results reflect underlying pathology and interpretation of the results are often compounded by ongoing disease processes and clinical interventions. Woodruff, msn, rnbc, cns, cmsrn, cen 6 easy steps to. Interpretation of the arterial blood gas selflearning packet see swift for list of qualifying boards for continuing education hours. Arterial blood gas values given in table 1 are general ranges for reference. It is simple, perhaps simplistic, but it will hopefully arm the reader with the tools and confidence to make better sense of abg results in future. You are watching an educational video about interpreting abgs. As we care for more acutely ill patients with respiratory, cardiac, renal and metabolic disorders, so more of. Body will not overcompensate when it comes to acidbase balance so. The goal of interpreting abg values is so that we can decipher what is happening to our patient, so that we can implement a plan to help them improve. If you want to put your abg interpretation skills to the test, check out our abg quiz.
It provides a near immediate reflection of the physiology of your patient, allowing you to recognise and treat pathology. Arterial blood gas abgs interpretation for nursing students and nurses. However, arterial blood can be difficult to obtain due to weak pulses or patient movement. The present article aims to simplify arterial blood gas analysis for a rapid and easy bedside interpretation. What this means is that water h2o can combine with co2 and form carbonic acid.
Abg interpretations can be tricky, but memorize my strategy and these questions can be done quickly and accurately. If you continue browsing the site, you agree to the use of cookies on this website. Check the name and identification number on the report against the patients other records e. In the modern medical practice, the multitasking health providers time has. An abg is a blood test that measures the acidity, or ph, and the levels of oxygen o2 and carbon dioxide co2 from an artery. This is bicarbonate, a chemical buffer made in the kidneys to neutralize acids. Discuss a systematic approach to rhythm interpretation. University of connecticut acidbase online tutorial this site contains information on acidbase physiology, common acidbase abnormalities, cases and pearls of arterial blood gas interpretation. The interpretation is often easy, however, correlating the same with the infants status can. Combine the information from the ph, paco2 and the bicarbonate. Abg interpretation made easy step by step being able to interpret the results of an abg sample is extremely important for respiratory therapists. Arterial blood gas abg analysis is a fundamental skill in modern medicine yet one which many find difficult to grasp. We dont only want to interpret abg values for fun, they have a very important purpose. Describe the process for interpretation of a 12 lead ecg.
Mistakes in arterial blood gas abg interpretation are common in clinical practice. Patients are often required to be checked for arterial blood gas analysis to find what exactly is happening in the body of patients system. Looking for some tips to ease your anxiety over an upcoming test that covers arterial blood gas abg interpretation. When one thinks of abg analysis, oxygenation may come to mind first. However, practice and experience will ease the frustration. Arterial blood gases abgs are commonly used for estimating the acidbase status, oxygenation and carbon dioxide concentration of unwell patients. This is great,dreaming of doing nclex soon and this has made abg interpretation so simple,kudos.
Home notes 8step guide to abg analysis tictactoe method. This has led to underutilization of this simple tool. Acidbase disorders made so easy even a caveman can do it lorraine r franzi, mshsm, rd, ldn, cnsd nutrition support specialist university of pittsburgh medical center pittsburgh, pa i. This will be the only video you will need to interpret your abgs. Abg interpretation a guide to understanding abgs geeky. Abg analysis can also determine blood acidity ph level. Venous blood gas vbg interpretation oxford medical. Interpreting an arterial blood gas abg is a crucial skill for physicians, nurses, respiratory. Before you try to classify the acidbase status of an arterial blood gas you must understand a couple things about them. By using simple graphs, lots of pictures, and about a 9th grade reading level, two men have finally made understanding abg s easy.
Your interpretation of the patients acidbase status will help determine the best course of action to take when it comes to treating the patient. The key to making sense of arterial blood gases is to use a structured approach. This guide was designed to provide a complete overview of mechanical ventilation for respiratory therapy students or anyone else who wants to learn more about this topic. See simple and mixed acidbase disorders and venous blood gases and other alternatives to arterial blood gases. Majority of the oral and maxillofacial surgeons find it difficult to interpret and clinically correlate the arterial blood gas report in their everyday practice. Making sense of arterial blood gases nursing times. Here is the easiest way to interpret abg results using the tic tac toe method.
The relative positions of the ph, paco2, and hco3 reveal the origin of any acid. Arterial blood gasses, or abgs, may be among the most complex and confusing parts of nursing practice. These presentations provides a introduction to arterial blood gas procedures, abgs interpretation and 15 practice cases. Fortunately, there are some easy ways to remember how to decipher these important lab results. By adding your knowledge of your patients clinical condition to whats happening with his oxygenation, ventilation, and acidbase. Partial compensation ph is still abnormal, and the other value is abnormal in an attempt to help normalise the ph. The following is a simplified explanation of abgs, including a practical method for interpreting results. Arterial blood gas presentation arterial blood gas interpretation. As it is unable to combine with oxygen and it also decreases the oxygen carrying capacity of blood.
But it is often encountered that many students dont know how to read abg, and thats why we are providing arterial blood gas. Arterial blood gas sampling society for acute medicine. Its possible to have more than one disorder influencing blood gas values. Arterial blood gas made easy slideshare uses cookies to improve functionality and performance, and to provide you with relevant advertising. Tic tac toe method arterial blood gas abg interpretation. This method is simple, easy and can be used for the majority of abgs. Interpretation of arterial blood gases abgs david a. Everyone can read an electrolyte level, but when faced with a list of abgs, most nurses wilt. We didnt title this article mechanical ventilation made easy by accident. For example abg s with an alkalemic ph may exhibit respiratory acidosis and metabolic alkalosis. Pdf version of a society for critical care medicine sccm lecture on arterial blood gas analysis opens in a new window. It only addresses acidbase balance and considers just 3 values. But, interpreting abg results has always been very complicateduntil now.
Uncompensated and compensated partial or full arterial blood gas abg interpretation. Arterial blood gas values have five basic components that you use to assess patients. This book provides readers with the core background knowledge required to understand the abg, explains how it is used in clinical practice and provides a unique system for interpreting results. The investigators of these five trials had prospectively planned to combine their data as part of the. Abg interpretation free download as powerpoint presentation. The real value of an abg comes from its ability to provide a nearimmediate reflection of the physiology of your patient, allowing you to recognise and treat pathology more rapidly. Abg quick interpretation parameter acidosis normal alkalosis reflects ph 7. Acid normal alkaline ph paco2 hco3 the column that the ph is in tells you acidosis, or alkalosis.