This article has been designated for CE contact hour(s). The evaluation tests your knowledge of the following objectives:
Describe the characteristics, use, and adverse effects of intravenous fluids in critically ill patients.
Review the literature regarding the selection of an appropriate intravenous fluid.
Identify and implement fluid stewardship strategies in a patient care setting.
Contact hour: 1.0
Pharmacology contact hour: 1.0
Synergy CERP Category: A
To complete evaluation for CE contact hour(s) for article ACC233451, visit https://aacnjournals.org/aacnacconline/pages/ce-articles. No CE evaluation fee for AACN members. See CE activity page for expiration date.
The American Association of Critical-Care Nurses is accredited as a provider of nursing continuing professional development by the American Nurses Credentialing Center’s Commission on Accreditation, ANCC Provider Number 0012. AACN has been approved as a provider of continuing education in nursing by the California Board of Registered Nursing (CA BRN), CA Provider Number CEP1036, for 1.0 contact hour.
A mixture of sodium, bicarbonate, chloride, and water was first infused into a human vein in 1832 and has since been a universal component of critical care medicine.1 Intravenous fluids are the most commonly administered medications in critically ill adults.2 Like all medications, intravenous fluids should be administered for an appropriate indication and duration with consideration for adverse effects. Intravenous fluids are used inappropriately in approximately 20% of patients, increasing the risk of fluid overload.2 Detrimental consequences of fluid overload include organ dysfunction, longer hospital stay, and increased risk of mortality. This article reviews the evidence related to intravenous fluid administration and defines the core concepts of fluid stewardship in the critical care setting.
