ABSTRACT
This section of the guide offers some normal ranges as well as some assessment tools that you will see used in clinical practice.
■ CARDIOVASCULAR
Radial The most common site for assessing the pulse in most situations
Carotid Collapse/arrest
Femoral Collapse/trauma with associated blood loss
Brachial Collapse in infants under 1 year as difficult to locate carotid pulse as infants have ‘no neck’
Temporal If access to other sites is difficult or impossible
Apex Measured using stethoscope. Infant’s heart rate often measured this way. Also if suspect arrhythmias. Apex and radial beat can be assessed together using two nurses if discrepancy between heart rate and peripheral pulse is suspected
Dorsalis pedis Assessing peripheral circulation/trauma
Posterior tibial Assessing peripheral circulation/trauma popliteal
Tachycardia > 80 bpm Bradycardia < 60 bpm
Normal range
Preterm 1000 g 130-150 45 25
Newborn 110-150 60-75 27
6 months 80-150 95 45
2 years 85-125 95 50
4 years 75-115 98 57
8 years 60-110 112 60
Over 10 years 55-90 120 80
Adult 60-100 100-140 60-90
Biochemistry
Serum biochemistry
Potassium (K+) 3.5-5 mmol/L
Sodium (Na+) 135-145 mmol/L
Calcium (Ca+) 2.1-2.65 mmol/L
Albumin 35-50 g/L
Glucose 3.5-5.5 mmol/L
Biochemistry
Sulphate 83-125 micromol/L
Phosphate 0.9-1.3 mmol/L
Urea 2.5-6.7 mmol/L
Uric acid 0.18-0.42 mmol/L
Creatinine 70-150 micromol/L
Chloride 95-103 mmol/L
Iron 13-32 micromol/L
Cholesterol 3.6-6.7 mmol/L
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