Lab values & electrolytes worksheet with answers

Free printable Lab values & electrolytes worksheet: 8 problems from easy to exam level, with an answer key. Print it or save it as a PDF.

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Name: ____________________   Date: ____________

1.Easy

What is the typical range of urine pH?

  1. AAbout 7.35–7.45
  2. BAbout 9.0–11.0
  3. CAbout 4.5–8.0
  4. DAbout 1.0–2.0
2.Easy

About what proportion of total serum calcium is in the free (ionized) form?

  1. AAbout one tenth
  2. BNearly all
  3. CAbout half
  4. DAlmost none
3.Easy

What is a main role of albumin in the blood?

  1. AIt fights bacteria by engulfing them in the blood
  2. BIt holds fluid in the vessels by oncotic pressure
  3. CIt forms the mesh that holds a blood clot together
  4. DIt carries oxygen from the lungs to the tissues
4.Medium

A patient taking warfarin for atrial fibrillation has an INR of 5.2 and no bleeding. What is the nurse’s best action?

  1. AGive a double dose
  2. BHold the warfarin dose and inform the prescriber
  3. CAdvise the patient to stop eating green vegetables from today
  4. DGive the usual dose and recheck in a month
5.Medium

Why must a low total calcium be interpreted with care in a patient with a low serum albumin?

  1. ALow albumin makes every calcium test inaccurate and useless
  2. BLow albumin always causes true, symptomatic hypocalcemia
  3. CAlbumin and calcium are measured with the same chemical reaction, so they always fall together
  4. DMuch calcium is bound to albumin, so total calcium falls even if ionized calcium is normal
6.Medium

A patient with pneumonia had a CRP of 180 mg/L on admission and 40 mg/L after 4 days of antibiotics. What does this most likely show?

  1. AThe infection has spread to another organ
  2. BThe patient has developed a new infection
  3. CThe antibiotic is causing liver damage
  4. DThe inflammation is settling with treatment
7.Hard

A patient has a sodium of 150 mEq/L, a glucose of 180 mg/dL and a BUN of 28 mg/dL. Using the formula 2 × Na + glucose/18 + BUN/2.8, what is the calculated serum osmolality?

  1. AAbout 320 mOsm/kg, which is high
  2. BAbout 358 mOsm/kg, which is high
  3. CAbout 285 mOsm/kg, which is normal
  4. DAbout 300 mOsm/kg, which is normal
8.Hard

Three days after starting haloperidol, a patient has a temperature of 40 °C, severe muscle rigidity and confusion. Which laboratory result would the nurse expect?

  1. AA very high serum lithium
  2. BA very low serum sodium
  3. CA very low white cell count
  4. DA very high creatine kinase (CK)

Answer key

  1. 1. C · About 4.5–8.0
  2. 2. C · About half
  3. 3. B · It holds fluid in the vessels by oncotic pressure
  4. 4. B · Hold the warfarin dose and inform the prescriber
  5. 5. D · Much calcium is bound to albumin, so total calcium falls even if ionized calcium is normal
  6. 6. D · The inflammation is settling with treatment
  7. 7. A · About 320 mOsm/kg, which is high
  8. 8. D · A very high creatine kinase (CK)

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