Understanding Laboratory Investigations

Understanding Laboratory Investigations for Nurses and Health Professionals (second edition) provides nurses with essential, easily digested information about the most frequently requested tests performed on patient samples in hospital laboratories, including the clinical relevance of test results. Understanding Laboratory Investigations for Nurses and Health Professionals (second edition) explains the physiological function being measured, details of reference ranges and the clinical significance of test results for diagnosis or patient monitoring. Test results which warrant immediate clinical intervention are identified and wherever possible, abnormal test results are related to symptoms. The second edition reflects recent developments in practice and includes more on point of care testing, additional chapters on calcium and phosphorus and urinalysis/dipstick testing, and a glossary. Each chapter ends with discussion of a case study and questions to help students assess their understanding of the topic.