Step 3: HCO3- – ABG Interpretation (Nursing)

00:00 Step 3 should sound pretty familiar. I bet you could've called this one.

00:04 You look at the bicarb and you label it just like we did with the CO2.

00:09 But remember bicarb is a base.

00:12 So if the normal is 22 to 26 (mmol/L), those references above the couch refer to bicarb.

00:19 So I got the 22 on the left and then you got the alkalotic for greater than 26.

00:24 So if I don't have enough bicarb - bicarb is a base, that means I would be acidotic if I'm lower than 22.

00:31 If I have extra bicarb running around, I'm gonna be greater than 26 and I would label that alkalotic.

00:38 extra bicarb = extra base that means my pH will be alkalotic.

00:43 Okay, so are you ready to try some? A bicarb of 34 well I know that normal is 22 to 26 so that's more than normal.

00:56 That means I have extra base so you'd label that alkalotic.

01:02 Hey, you're really getting it, stay with us.

01:05 Bicarb of 18 is lower than normal because normal is 22 to 26 so with less base, I would label that acidotic Bicarb of 20 Well normal is 22 to 26, that's less bicarb than normal so I would label that Acidotic Bicarb of 30 Well that's higher than normal because normal is 22 to 2, so that's extra bicarb so I would label that Right, alkalotic.

01:50 Bicarb of 29 Normal is 22 to 26 so that means I have excess bicarb and so I would label that Alkalotic Alright, good deal.

02:08 You've got the first three steps of the 6 under your belt.