Red Blood Cell Count: In a Nutshell (Nursing)

00:01 So let's wrap up this video. I know we threw a lot of numbers at you.

00:05 Keep in mind, sit down with your handout and your notes, look at some patient's CBC results, and you will be amazed at what you can learn about what's going on with that patient.

00:16 Because, remember, the red blood cell count, hemoglobin, and hematocrit each measure certain aspects of the red blood cells.

00:23 Low red blood cell is anemia.

00:25 High red blood cell is erythrocytosis or polycythemia.

00:29 Each hemoglobin protein can carry four oxygen molecules.

00:34 A hematocrit rate is also known as a packed cell volume, is a measurement of the percentage of the total volume.

00:41 Keep in mind the hydration status has a significant impact on the hematocrit and hemoglobin.

00:46 That means don't panic if your patient was really dehydrated, you gave them IV fluids, and their -- boom! It looked like their hematocrit and hemoglobin tanked.

00:55 It really didn't.

00:56 Because remember, hydration status has significant impact on hematocrit and hemoglobin.

01:02 Now, your patients will be able to adapt to chronic causes of low red blood cells much more effectively than acute and large red blood cell loss, like hemorrhage.

01:12 MCV, MCH, and MCHC are calculated with formulas using the red blood cell, hemoglobin, and hematocrit.

01:20 And they really are helpful in determining more detailed diagnosis and causes of abnormal red blood cell counts.

01:27 Thank you for watching our video today.