Affiliation:
1. Purdue University, Veterinary Nursing Program Instructor, West Lafayette, IN USA
Abstract
Kirby's Rule of 20 is a patient checklist including 20 parameters that should be checked daily in the critically ill patient. It reviews the established evidence-based information regarding patient checklist use in veterinary emergency and critical care medicine. The list of 20 will be discussed over a four-part series to give an appropriate level of information and attention to each patient parameter. Part 1 includes: fluid balance, albumin and oncotic pull, electrolytes and acid–base, mentation, and heart rate/rhythm/contractility.