Key Concepts
Overview
Dehydration and Fluid Balance (Nutrition) links screening, therapeutic diets, oral and enteral support, and parenteral nutrition safety to nursing judgment: protect airway and aspiration risk, maintain glycemic stability, correct dehydration and electrolyte disturbances per orders, watch for refeeding syndrome, and escalate when nutrition problems drive acute instability. Canadian items may use metric units (including mmol/L for glucose where shown) and provincial wording; prioritization logic matches NCLEX-RN. Pathway context (RN, Canada). This lesson supports NCLEX-RN preparation with Canada-friendly practice framing (SI measures where shown, interprofessional norms). Continue with related lessons from the pathway lesson hub. Learning objectives - Integrate intake history, diet orders, weights, I and O, glucose, and relevant labs to identify nutrition-related risks and complications. - Select nursing interventions and teaching aligned with orders, scope, dietitian and provider plans, and facility policy. - Communicate early when findings suggest aspiration, symptomatic hypoglycemia or hyperglycemia, critical electrolyte imbalance, fluid overload or deficit, tube misplacement or dislodgement, TPN line infection, or rapid decline from malnutrition. Why it matters for nursing care: Dehydration and Fluid Balance requires early recognition, careful trend assessment, and...