Critical values and norms…

We recently got a document on critical values and norms for labs from our awesome leadership. If we decide to be a hospital OT, we have to be able to understand everything we see in the medical chart, so that we are aware of the patient's status before we begin treatment. Like you don't want to throw a heavy ball with someone who has a low platelet count! We need to know normal lab values for blood pressure, heart rate, O2 saturation, blood glucose, hematocrit, and platelets – although procedures can vary from hospital to hospital. We also have to know the symptoms of all these things when they are off – like symptoms of low blood pressure versus high blood pressure. Since problems can arise quickly, OTs need to be very observant and medically-knowledgeable!!

Mar 17, 2008 | Category: Occupational Therapy | Comments: none