Home › Cheat Sheets › Physiological Adaptation

Fluid Volume Deficit (dehydration) — NCLEX Cheat Sheet

Fluid loss > intake

🔖 Save

👤 By the CinnaRN Clinical Content Team 🕐 Updated 2026-07-11 🏷️ Physiological Adaptation 🔖 Free to read, print, and share

💡

Use this quick-reference guide to spot, treat, and prevent Fluid Volume Deficit (dehydration) on the NCLEX. Keep it handy during review and on exam day!

🩺

Signs

What to look for

↑ HR, ↓ BP, orthostatic
Dry mucosa, poor skin turgor
↓ urine, ↑ urine concentration
Weight loss, flat neck veins

🧪

Labs

Key numbers

↑ Hct, ↑ BUN, ↑ Na, ↑ osmo

✅

Do

Nursing actions

PO or IV isotonic fluids (NS, LR)
Daily weights, strict I&O
Safety: fall risk, orthostatic BP

🚩

Report

Notify / act now

Hypovolemic shock
Urine < 30 mL/hr

✨

Quick Tip

Vital sign changes include tachycardia, weak thready pulse, hypotension, and orthostatic (postural) hypotension.

📖 Related Topics

Hypokalemia Hyperkalemia Hyponatremia Heart Failure

Was this helpful? ✎ Suggest an edit

Master Fluid Volume Deficit (dehydration) with practice, not just reading

4,700+ NCLEX-style questions with rationales, 51 interactive NGN cases, and an AI tutor — free every day, no card needed.

Practice Physiological Adaptation questions free →

Related Physiological Adaptation cheat sheets

HypokalemiaK+ < 3.5 mEq/L HyperkalemiaK+ > 5.0 mEq/L HyponatremiaNa+ < 135 mEq/L Heart FailurePump fails → congestion Diabetic Ketoacidosis (DKA)Glucose > 250, pH < 7.35 HypoglycemiaGlucose < 70 mg/dL COPDChronic airflow obstruction Sepsis and Septic ShockInfection → organ failure