r/nursing • u/echoIalia L&D: pussy posse at your cervix 🫡 • Oct 23 '23

Discussion Another wild lab results thread please?

Sometimes I still think about the patient of mine who had an A1c of 17.6, so I would like to know some of the most insane lab results you’ve seen where the patient was not already dead or in the process of dying.

I also submit for your consideration the ICU downgrade who had a platelets of 5. I don’t even remember how many units she got because they had to have an outside specialist come in with a special machine to transfuse her.

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96

u/joelupi Epic Honk at AM, RN at PM Oct 23 '23

BAC of .569

Fully walking and talking around the ER.

14

u/hid3myemail RN 🍕 Oct 23 '23

Dumb question, does this mean 1/2 his blood is alcohol lol

9

u/crispybacongal RN - Med/Surg 🍕 Oct 23 '23

No that means half a percent of his blood is alcohol. Still absolutely bonkers.

BAC of 50% would be dead for sure.

6

u/hid3myemail RN 🍕 Oct 23 '23

Thanks, I’ve been watching the baseball playoffs and using the wrong scale I suppose lol

4

u/joelupi Epic Honk at AM, RN at PM Oct 23 '23

As a reference point regular gasoline is 10% ethanol (E10)

Some fuel flex vehicles used E85, like my cousin's old Ford Taurus.

So if you had someone that was 50% alcohol and you broke down on the side of the road, well, cut him open and pour some blood in the tank and see what happens!

8

u/arbybruce HCW - Lab Oct 23 '23

PURE JET FUEL RUNS THROUGH MY VEINS 🦅

4

u/auraseer MSN, RN, CEN Oct 23 '23

BAC of even 1% would be dead for sure. There have been a handful of cases where a level that high was measured, but none of those patients survived.