| May 2010 | September 2010 | February 2013 | August 2014 |
Patients receiving IV fluids and indication |
Patients on IV fluids, n (%) | 38/64 (59) | 41/70 (57) | 47/69 (68) | 36/97 (37) |
Decision to prescribe IV fluids and clinical indication recorded in case notes, n (%) | 26/38 (68) | 27/41 (65) | 40/47 (85) | 21/36 (58) |
Recorded indications for IV fluids, n (%)a
| | | | |
Dehydration | 13 (50) | 10 (59) | 28 (70) | 13 (61) |
Unsafe swallow | 4 (15) | 4 (15) | 4 (10) | 2 (10) |
Sepsis | 4 (15) | 4 (15) | 3 (8) | 1 (5) |
Hypotension (underlying aetiology unclear) | 0 | 1 (3) | 4 (10) | 1 (5) |
Electrolyte abnormalityb
| 4 (15) | 4 (15) | 1 (2) | 4 (19) |
Rhabdomyolysis | 1 (4) | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Anaemia | 0 | 3 (1) | 0 | 0 |
Administered IV fluid volume
|
Total fluid volume infused in L, median (range) | 2.5 (1–4) | 2 (0.5–5) | 2 (1–5) | 2 (0.5–4) |
Adequate volume to meet daily maintenance requirements, n (%)c,d
| NA | 26/40 (66) | 21/45 (47) | 23/35 (66) |
Selected IV fluid regimen
|
Detail and indication for selected IV fluid regimen recorded in case notes (n, %) | 8/38 (21) | 9/40 (23) | 10/45 (37) | 8/35 (23) |
Excessive Na+ load | 8/38 (21) | 4/40 (10) | NA | 4/36 (11) |
Adequate K+ prescribed to meet daily maintenance requirementsb
| 8 (21) | 28 (70) | 32 (71) | 26 (72) |
Continuation of IV fluids after 24 h
|
Patients on IV fluids for >24 h, n (%) | 27/38 (71) | 12/40 (30) | 26/47 (55) | 12/36 (33) |
Total number of days on IV fluids among patients receiving continuing after 24 h, median (range) | 3 (2–15) | 3 (2–7) | 3 (2–9) | 2.2 (2–10) |
Daily U&E used to guide management, n (%) | 19/27 (70) | 7/12 (58) | 13/26 (50) | 8/12 (66) |