Acid-base disorder
NCLEX-RN glossary · Physiological Adaptation
Definition
A physiological imbalance in the body's pH, requiring systematic interpretation of pH, PaCO2, and HCO3 to identify the primary failure mechanism.
Acid-base disorder in plain English
Nursing action must address the underlying cause (e.g., ventilation for respiratory acidosis) rather than just the numeric pH value. A common mistake is failing to determine if an abnormal value represents a primary disorder or a compensatory response before selecting a corrective action.
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