The nurse is precepting a student nurse. The primary nurse asks the student nurse to figure the client’s intake and output for the shift. Which statement by the student nurse indicates an understanding of this procedure?
“Wound drainage is not included in output measurement.”
“I only need to count urinary output for my output total.”
“I don’t need to count the client’s emesis since it was a small amount.”
“I will include all IV fluids, liquids the client drank, IV flushes, and IV antibiotics in my intake total.”
Number 4 is correct.
Rationale: Intake includes everything the client took in liquid form, including IV fluids, flushes, and antibiotics; drinks; and soups. Output measurement includes wound drainage, diarrhea, urine, gastric suction, and emesis. All output, no matter how small or seemingly insignificant, is counted.
