ASSESSMENT OF FLUID AND ELECTROLYTE IMBALANCE AMONG CRITICALLY ILL PATIENTS, EL-MANIAL UNIVERSITY HOSPITAL: NURSE'S KNOWLEDGE AND RESPONSIBILITIES

Abstract

Critically ill patients are defined as those patients who are at high risk for actual or potential life-threatening health problems. The more critically ill the patient is, the more likely he or she is to be highly vulnerable, unstable and complex, thereby requiring intense and vigilant nursing care (Bruk, Comerford, Donofrio, & Labus, 2008).

Fluid and electrolyte imbalances occur to some degree in most patients with major illness or injury because they disrupt the normal homeostatic mechanism. Some fluid and electrolyte imbalances are directly caused by illness or disease (e.g., bum, congestive heart failure, renal failure, vomiting, diarrhea). At other times, therapeutic measures (e.g., intravenous fluid replacement, diuretics) cause or contribute to fluid and electrolyte imbalances (Lewis, Heitkember, & Dirksen 2007).

Nurses who work in critical care units are responsible for providing care to patients who are experiencing or are at-risk for experiencing life­ threatening conditions. They must assess and monitor the patient closely in order to identify subtle changes in a patient's condition that warrant immediate intervention (Futures in nursing 2003).

The present study aimed to; first, was to estimate the prevalence of fluid and electrolyte imbalances among critically ill patients at the Critical Care Department, El-Manial University Hospital, Cairo University, second, was to assess nurse's knowledge related to fluid and electrolyte imbalances, third and last, was to assess nurse's responsibilities related to fluid and electrolyte imbalances.