Fluid Balance Management

Cover image for: Fluid Balance Management
CPDTime.
1h 13m
Updated 24 Sep 2024 Certificate ANCC Accredited

Unmanaged fluid imbalance poses a significant, yet often silent, threat to patient safety in healthcare settings, leading to potentially devastating consequences like organ dysfunction and extended hospital stays.

This Ausmed Course is intended for nurses, pharmacists, paramedics and other healthcare professionals looking to increase their understanding of the assessment and management of fluid balance in patients' care.

Content

8 Video Units • 16 Questions
Pre-reflection
1 Question
Introduction
4m
Pretest
3 Questions
Introduction to Fluids
1 Question
6m
Physiology of Fluid Balance
3 Questions
7m
Assessing Fluid Status
2 Questions
7m
Fluid Management Strategies
2 Questions
19m
Monitoring and Complications
2 Questions
10m
Case Study
1 Question
3m
Conclusion
2m
Post-reflection
1 Question

What you'll learn:

1

Describe the physiological significance of maintaining fluid balance within the intracellular and extracellular compartments of the body.

2

Identify and explain the main sources of fluid intake, outlets for fluid loss, and their impact on the body's fluid distribution.

3

Describe the four main assessment areas that should be investigated when assessing a patient’s fluid status.

4

Understand the indications for oral rehydration solutions and intravenous fluids.

5

Apply knowledge of fluid balance, assessment techniques and fluid management strategies to evaluate a patient's condition and potential treatment plan.

Who it's for:

This Ausmed Course is intended for nurses, pharmacists, paramedics and other healthcare professionals looking to increase their understanding of the assessment and management of fluid balance in patients' care.

Why it's needed:

Unmanaged fluid imbalance poses a significant, yet often silent, threat to patient safety in healthcare settings, leading to potentially devastating consequences like organ dysfunction and extended hospital stays. The widespread use of intravenous fluids in critical care underscores these concerns. Intravenous fluids, with an estimated annual consumption of 1 billion units of 0.9% sodium chloride solution, are the most commonly administered drug in critically ill adults.

Additionally, some healthcare professionals are reported to continuously struggle to recognise early warning signs of fluid imbalance through comprehensive assessment techniques. Navigating the complexities of fluid dynamics to tailor fluid management for an individual patient’s needs can also be challenging.

Therefore, education that empowers healthcare professionals with the essential skills to proactively assess fluid status, navigate fluid dynamics and implement fluid stewardship principles is necessary in order to improve patient outcomes, reduce complications and ensure fluid management is more consistently approached according to best practices.

Purpose:

The purpose of this course is to equip healthcare professionals with the essential knowledge and practical understanding of best practices in fluid assessment and management in order to become effective stewards of fluid balance in their practice.

Topics

For Teams
Assign to your staff

Assign mandatory training and keep all your records in-one-place.

Find out more
Peer reviewed by
Content Integrity
Ausmed strives for the highest level of content integrity and accuracy in our educational resources.
Last updated24 Sep 2024

Published23 Sep 2024

Due for review29 Sep 2025
Accreditation Information
Disclaimer
Disclosure
Usage
Cite this resource
ANCC Accredited
This course has been published with the American Nurses Credentialing Center Accreditation.
Accreditation Badge

Recommended resources

Image for Holding Difficult Conversations at Work
Holding Difficult Conversations at Work
CPDTime.resource
30m
Image for Managing Urinary Catheters in Acute Settings
Managing Urinary Catheters in Acute Settings
CPDTime.resource
57m
Image for Stroke Management
Stroke Management
CPDTime.resource
1h 12m
Image for Infection Control Cleaning
Infection Control Cleaning
CPDTime.resource
36m
Image for Diabetes Emergencies: Hyperglycaemia
Diabetes Emergencies: Hyperglycaemia
CPDTime.resource
45m
Image for Meal Assistance in Residential Aged Care
Meal Assistance in Residential Aged Care
CPDTime.resource
20m
Image for Choking Management in Aged Care
Choking Management in Aged Care
CPDTime.resource
20m
Image for Antibacterial Antibiotics
Antibacterial Antibiotics
CPDTime.resource
1h 39m
Image for Elder Abuse
Elder Abuse
CPDTime.resource
30m