UT Tyler BSN Approved Lab & Vitals Values
Must Know Lab Values
CBC Values
Abbreviation
Normal Range
Critical Value
White Blood Cells
WBC
5-10 (thousand /mm3)
<2.5 or > 30
(thousand/mm3)
Red Blood Cells
RBC
Hemoglobin
Hgb
Hematocrit
HCT
Platelets
Plt
Male: 4.7-6.1;
Female: 4.2-5.4
Male: 14-18 g/dL; Female:
12-16 g/dL
Male: 42-52%;
Female: 37-47%
150-400 (thousand/ mm3)
BMP/CMP Values
Abbreviation
Normal Range
Critical Value
Glucose
Sodium
Potassium
Calcium
Magnesium
Blood Urea Nitrogen
Creatinine
FBS
Na
K
Ca
Mg
BUN
Cr
70-110 mg/dL
136-145 mEq/L
3.5-5 mEq/L
9-10.5 mg/dL
1.3-2.1 mEq/L
10-20 mg/dL
0.5-1.2 mg/dL
<40 or >400
<120 or >160
<2.5 or >6.5
<6 or >13
<0.5 or >3
>100
>4
Coagulation Values
Abbreviation
Normal Range
Critical Value
Prothrombin Time
International
Normalized Ratio
PT
INR
11-12.5 seconds
0.8-1.1
2-3 (therapeutic for
warfarin)
>20 seconds
>5.5
Partial Thromboplastin
Time, Activated
Partial Thromboplastin
Time
aPTT
30-40 seconds
>70 seconds
PTT
60-70 seconds
>100 seconds
ABG Values
Abbreviation
Normal Range
Critical Value
Acid-Base Indicator
pH
7.35-7.45
Oxygen
PaO2
80-100 mm Hg
Carbon Dioxide
PaCO2
35-45 mm Hg
Bicarbonate
HCO3
22-26 mEq/L
Oxygen Saturation
SAO2
95%-100%
*Maternal/Newborn and Child values are taught in the Special Population course.
<5g/dL or >20g/dL
<15% or >60%
<50
(thousand/mm3) or
>1 million/mm3
Must Know Vital Signs, Holistic Health Assessment
Pain: Considered 5th vital sign. Use 0 – 10 numerical scale. 0=no pain, 10=worst pain ever
High pain level can increase pulse, blood pressure and respirations
Temperature: 35.8-37.3 C (96.4-99.1 F) Jarvis: Page 139
Lewis (359) Hypothermia <96.8
Mild elevation <100.4 Moderate elevation > 100.4, First 2 days post op
After 48 hours post op > 100
Pulse: 50-90 at physical and mental rest
Baseline 60-100. Document both rate, rhythm and force of the pulse, 0 to 3+
Respirations: Adult 10-20 Jarvis: Page 143; Report character of breathing, whether even or
labored/unlabored
Blood Pressure: Normotensive: SBP <120 and DBP <80
Prehypertension: SBP 120-139 OR DBP 80-89
Stage 1 Hypertension: SBP 140-159 OR DBP 90-99
Stage 2 Hypertension: SBP >160 or DBP > 100
Hypotension: < 95/60 or SBP< 90 or a decrease in SBP >40
Orthostatic Hypotension decrease of 20 mm or more in SBP, decrease of 10 mm or more in DBP,
and/or increase in Heart rate of 20 or more beats per minute. Jarvis: Page 150
PaO2/O2 Sats (Pulse Oximeter, measures arterial oxygen saturation, Sp02)
PaO2 %
> 70
O2 sat %
> 94
Significance
Adequate unless hemodynamically unstable or HgB unable to release
to tissues
60
90
Adequate in most patients but less margin for error
55
88
Adequate for chronic hypoxemia if NO cardiac problems. Criteria for
continuous O2
40
75
Inadequate. Acceptable for very short time if also CO2 retention
<40
<75
Inadequate. Expect tissue hypoxemia and cardiac dysrhythmias
Healthy person without lung disease - 97-100% on room air. Jarvis: Page 153
BSN Faculty meeting approved: 3/19/2021
Approved: Karen Walker, Ph.D., RN., MBA, BSN Program Director: 3/19/2021