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New Fluids treatment settings

After you add a New Fluids treatment to a patient's flowsheet, SmartFlow shows treatment settings. Use the settings to record information about the treatment.

Note: After staff complete a task for the scheduled treatment, you cannot make changes to treatment settings that change the fluid rate.
Figure 1. Settings of a New Fluids treatment
Settings of a New Fluids treatment

General treatment settings

This table shows each general setting of a New Fluids treatment and its function:

SettingFunctionCan a template use the setting?
Start atUse Start at to select the start time of the treatment task.Only fixed-time treatment templates can use the setting.
Check everyUse Check every to select the frequency that staff should do a check of the patient.Yes.
InstructionsUse Instructions to enter information that SmartFlow shows when you do the treatment.Yes.
DurationUse Duration to select when the treatment stops.
Note: The Duration setting is optional. But if you do not use the setting, the fluid treatment stops at the end of the day.
Yes.
HighlightsUse Highlights to select a color that shows on a flowsheet. The color identifies when to do a check of the patient.Yes.
Weight-basedUse the Absolute and Weight-based boxes to set how much fluid to give the patient each hour. Enter a value in one box and SmartFlow calculates the value in the other box. For more information, see Maintenance rate: Weight-based and Absolute. No. Enter a value for each patient.
AbsoluteUse the Absolute and Weight-based boxes to set how much fluid to give the patient each hour. Enter a value in one box and SmartFlow calculates the value in the other box. For more information, see Maintenance rate: Weight-based and Absolute. No. Enter a value for each patient.

Maintenance rate: Weight-based and Absolute

In the Dosage section, you can set the maintenance rate in two boxes:

Weight-based (ml/kg/hr)
Enter how much fluid to give the patient each hour, for each kilogram of the patient's weight.
Absolute (ml/hr)
Enter how much fluid to give the patient each hour. This box replaces the Maintenance rate box that SmartFlow showed before.

Enter a value in one box and SmartFlow calculates and shows the value in the other box:

  • When you enter a value in Absolute, the Weight-based value is the Absolute value divided by the patient's weight in kilograms.
  • When you enter a value in Weight-based, the Absolute value is the Weight-based value multiplied by the patient's weight in kilograms.
Note: SmartFlow saves and shows only the Absolute value on the flowsheet. The Weight-based box helps you enter and check the rate, but SmartFlow does not save its value. SmartFlow shows the calculated value to the number of decimal places in your clinic's fluids setting.

These conditions apply to the two boxes:

  • If you make either box empty, both boxes become empty. Two empty boxes are a valid setting and mean the treatment has no maintenance rate.
  • If the patient's weight is missing or is not more than zero, the Weight-based box is not available and is blank. You can still use the Absolute box, but it does not calculate a Weight-based value. When the patient has a weight that is more than zero, the Weight-based box becomes available and shows a value that SmartFlow calculates from the Absolute value.

If you change the patient's weight after you create the treatment but before staff start it:

  • A red dot shows adjacent to the treatment name to identify that the treatment needs an update. The values on the fluid line do not change automatically.
  • When you open the treatment settings, the Weight-based value stays the same and SmartFlow calculates a new Absolute value from the new weight. If the treatment has rehydration, SmartFlow also calculates a new rehydration volume and rate.
  • When you confirm the settings, SmartFlow updates the values on the fluid line and removes the red dot.

Fluid plan section

The Fluid plan section shows details of the treatment as a result of the settings that you make (for example, scheduled fluid rates at different times).

Use the toggle in the Fluid plan section to change the quantities in the section. You can select:
  • Weight-adjusted to see the fluid and additive quantities that SmartFlow adjusts for the patient's weight
  • Absolute to see the fluid and additive quantities that the patient receives

For example, if the maintenance rate is 75 ml/hr, and the patient's weight is 30 kg, SmartFlow shows a rate of 2.5 ml/hr/kg.

Tip: Hover over the Estimated quantities to show details of their calculations.
Figure 2. The Fluid plan section

Fluid plan section
After you start the fluid treatment, SmartFlow:
  • Changes the name of the section to Progress overview
  • Shows the quantity of fluid that the patient has received
  • Shows the remaining quantity of fluid that the patient will receive
  • Shows previous fluid rates and scheduled changes in the fluid rate
Figure 3. The Progress overview section

Progress overview section

Rehydration settings

To add a rehydration treatment to a New Fluids treatment, select the plus button in the Rehydration section.

Figure 4. Rehydration settings for a New Fluids treatment
Rehydration settings of a New Fluids treatment

To remove the rehydration treatment, select the trash can button.

This table shows each setting in the Rehydration section of a New Fluids treatment and its function:

SettingFunctionCan a template use the setting?
DehydrationUse Dehydration to select an estimate of the patient's dehydration.No. Enter a value for each patient.
Fluid deficitSmartFlow uses patient weight and the Dehydration setting to automatically enter a value in the Fluid deficit setting.No.
Restore overUse Restore over to select the period in which a rehydration treatment occurs.No. Enter a value for each patient.
Rehydration rateSmartFlow uses the values of Fluid deficit and Restore over to automatically enter the rehydration rate.No.

Additives settings

To add an additive to a New Fluids treatment, select the plus button in the Additives section.

Note: You can add more than one additive.
Figure 5. Additive settings for a New Fluids treatment
Additives settings of a New Fluids treatment

To remove the additive settings, select the trash can button.

This table shows each setting in the Additives section of a New Fluids treatment and its function:

SettingFunctionCan a template use the setting?
AdditiveUse Additive to select the name of the additive.Yes.
ConcentrationUse Concentration to select the concentration of the additive.Yes.
MeasureUse Measure to select the concentration of the additive.Yes.

Bolus settings

To add a bolus treatment to a New Fluids treatment, select the plus button in the Bolus section.

Figure 6. Bolus settings for a New Fluids treatment
Bolus settings for a New Fluids treatment

To remove the bolus settings, select the trash can button.

This table shows each setting in the Bolus section of a New Fluids treatment and its function:

SettingFunctionCan a template use the setting?
Start atUse Start at to select the time of the additive.Yes.
DoseUse Dose to enter how much fluid the patient will receive. No.
Over periodUse Over Period to select the period in which the patient will receive the bolus treatment.Yes.
Total volumeSmartFlow uses the patient weight and Dose values to automatically enter the Total volume.No.
Bolus rateSmartFlow uses the Total volume and Over Period values to automatically enter the Bolus rate.No.

Instructions

To add instructions for staff to a New Fluids treatment, select the plus button in the Instructions section. As a result, when staff complete treatment tasks, SmartFlow shows the instructions in an Execute task dialog box:
Instructions in an Execute task dialog box