About fluid balance

Fluid balance is the balance of the input and output of fluids in the body that allows metabolic processes to function correctly.

Nervecentre fluid balance allows you to enter fluid balance readings on a mobile, and start charts, edit columns, review charts, and stop a chart on a mobile or desktop.

About fluid balance on a mobile

You can enter fluid balance readings, start a chart, edit input and output columns, strike out entries, and stop the chart from a mobile. You can view charts in full or collapsed into summaries.

  1. From your patient list, select a patient.

  2. Scroll to Obs & Assessments and select Fluids.

From Fluids you can:

Select this to add fluid balance values for the current hour. You can make multiple entries for the same hour. Nervecentre sums the values in the chart.

Expand Columns

Select this to show all the entries in every input and output column. The default is the condensed view.

The hours of the day are displayed from midnight to midnight. The current and past hours are shown in blue text, future hours are in black.

If there is an * next to the time, there is more information to view including, any comments regarding the entry, or if a vessel has been used to record the value.

Across the top are the names of the columns for inputs, outputs, and the associated balances.

You can also view due times and the patient's daily balance next to the patient's name in your patient list.

Read more about due times and fluid balance indicators

About fluid balance on a desktop

You can start a new fluid balance chart, edit the fluid balance column names, and view and stop the chart from the desktop. You can't enter readings or submit fluid balance from the desktop.

  1. From  Inpatients > Patient List > double-click on a patient's name > Patient Detail , select Clinical.

  2. From the Observations summary, select anywhere in the row for fluid balance.

▼

Select this to:

Due

Shows the time that fluid balance is due.

11:00 - Fluid balance recording is not due.

11:00 - Fluid balance recording is due.

11:00 - Fluid balance is overdue.

Yes'day

Yesterday’s fluid balance, shown as input/output.

Today

Today’s fluid balance, shown as input/output.

Cumulative

Running total of fluid balance from this chart. The running total is the net fluid input:

cumulative total = all fluids in - all fluids out

If you stop a fluid balance chart and start a new one, the cumulative balance starts again at zero.

Previous Charts

Select this to show fluid balance charts from previous days, or previous charts from the same visit.

Select to view trends in fluid balance on a graph.

All cells in the chart with a blue triangle in the top right-hand corner have additional information, including any comments regarding the entry, or if a vessel has been used to record the value.

Across the top are the names of the columns for inputs, outputs, and the associated balances.