[{"data":1,"prerenderedAt":-1},["ShallowReactive",2],{"doc-seo-572788-105":3,"detail-sidebar-cat-1-en-105":81,"doc-detail-572788-en":126},{"code":4,"msg":5,"data":6},0,"ok",{"site_id":7,"language":8,"slug":9,"title":10,"keywords":11,"description":12,"schema_data":13,"social_meta":74,"head_meta":76,"extra_data":78,"updated_unix":80},105,"en","6-easy-steps-to-abg-analysis-easy-guide","6 Easy Steps to ABG Analysis - Easy Guide","","“6 Easy Steps to ABG Analysis” provides nurses with a structured, reliable method for interpreting arterial blood gases and reducing confusion from memorizing scattered rules. It walks through pH, CO2, and HCO3 evaluation, then links CO2/HCO3 changes to pH to identify respiratory versus metabolic disorders. The guide also explains compensation patterns and concludes with assessment of PaO2 and O2 saturation to detect hypoxemia and support clinical decision-making with normal value benchmarks.",{"@graph":14,"@context":73},[15,34,56],{"@type":16,"itemListElement":17},"BreadcrumbList",[18,23,27,31],{"item":19,"name":20,"@type":21,"position":22},"https://docshare.wps.com","Home","ListItem",1,{"item":24,"name":25,"@type":21,"position":26},"https://docshare.wps.com/template/","Template",2,{"item":28,"name":29,"@type":21,"position":30},"https://docshare.wps.com/template/general/","General",3,{"item":32,"name":10,"@type":21,"position":33},"https://docshare.wps.com/template/6-easy-steps-to-abg-analysis-easy-guide/572788/",4,{"url":32,"name":10,"@type":35,"image":36,"author":41,"headline":10,"publisher":44,"fileFormat":47,"inLanguage":8,"description":12,"dateModified":48,"datePublished":49,"encodingFormat":47,"isAccessibleForFree":50,"interactionStatistic":51},"DigitalDocument",{"url":37,"@type":38,"width":39,"height":40},"https://docshare.wps.com/thumbnails/6-easy-steps-to-abg-analysis-easy-guide/572788.png","ImageObject",442,249,{"name":42,"@type":43},"dhado","Person",{"url":19,"name":45,"@type":46},"DocShare","Organization","application/pdf","2026-10-19","2026-10-13",true,{"@type":52,"interactionType":53,"userInteractionCount":55},"InteractionCounter",{"@type":54},"ViewAction",5,{"@type":57,"mainEntity":58},"FAQPage",[59,65,69],{"name":60,"@type":61,"acceptedAnswer":62},"Why do nurses often feel confused when interpreting ABGs?","Question",{"text":63,"@type":64},"Confusion usually starts from trying to remember many random rules and using an unstandardized approach. It also happens when too many ABG components are analyzed at the same time.","Answer",{"name":66,"@type":61,"acceptedAnswer":67},"What are the first three steps in the ABG method?",{"text":68,"@type":64},"Step 1 checks whether pH is normal, acidic, or alkalotic. Step 2 evaluates pCO2 as alkalotic or acidic. Step 3 analyzes HCO3 and labels it as acidotic or alkalotic based on normal ranges.",{"name":70,"@type":61,"acceptedAnswer":71},"How does Step 4 determine respiratory vs metabolic acid-base disorders?",{"text":72,"@type":64},"Step 4 matches either CO2 or HCO3 with the pH to identify what system is causing the imbalance. If pH and CO2 are both acidotic, the disturbance is respiratory acidosis; if pH and HCO3 are both alkalotic, the disturbance is metabolic alkalosis.","https://schema.org",{"og:url":32,"og:type":75,"og:title":10,"og:site_name":45,"og:description":12},"article",{"robots":77,"canonical":32},"index,follow",{"doc_id":79,"site_id":7},572788,1792118864,{"code":4,"msg":82,"data":83},"success",[84,89,94,99,104,109,114,119,123],{"id":85,"doc_module":22,"doc_module_name":25,"category_name":86,"show_sort_weight":87,"slug":88},11,"Presentations",90,"presentations",{"id":90,"doc_module":22,"doc_module_name":25,"category_name":91,"show_sort_weight":92,"slug":93},12,"Resumes",80,"resumes",{"id":95,"doc_module":22,"doc_module_name":25,"category_name":96,"show_sort_weight":97,"slug":98},14,"Invoices",70,"invoices",{"id":100,"doc_module":22,"doc_module_name":25,"category_name":101,"show_sort_weight":102,"slug":103},15,"Posters",60,"posters",{"id":105,"doc_module":22,"doc_module_name":25,"category_name":106,"show_sort_weight":107,"slug":108},16,"Social Media",50,"social-media",{"id":110,"doc_module":22,"doc_module_name":25,"category_name":111,"show_sort_weight":112,"slug":113},17,"Forms",40,"forms",{"id":115,"doc_module":22,"doc_module_name":25,"category_name":116,"show_sort_weight":117,"slug":118},18,"Letters",30,"letters",{"id":120,"doc_module":22,"doc_module_name":25,"category_name":121,"show_sort_weight":55,"slug":122},21,"Paper Templates","papers-templates",{"id":124,"doc_module":22,"doc_module_name":25,"category_name":29,"show_sort_weight":4,"slug":125},158,"general-158",{"code":4,"msg":82,"data":127},{"doc_id":79,"user_id":128,"nickname":42,"user_avatar":129,"doc_module":22,"category_id":124,"category_name":29,"doc_title":10,"doc_description":12,"doc_content":130,"file_id":131,"file_url":132,"file_type":133,"file_size":134,"view_count":55,"is_deleted":4,"is_public":22,"is_downloadable":22,"audit_status":22,"page_count":135,"language":136,"language_code":8,"site_id":7,"html_lang":8,"table_of_contents":137,"faqs":138,"seo_title":139,"seo_description":12,"update_tm":140,"read_time":55},5909893218464,"https://ap-avatar.wpscdn.com/davatar_085a072bc5b1113ac321206ff7593b45","6 Easy Steps to ABG Analysis  \nE-Booklet  \nDavid W. Woodruff, MSN, RN-BC, CNS, CMSRN, CEN  \n571 Ledge Road, Macedonia, OH 44056 • Telephone (800) 990-2629 • Fax (800) 990-2585  \n©1997-2012 Ed4Nurses, Inc . All rights reserved  \n6 Easy Steps to ABG Analysis ©1997-­‐2011 Ed4Nurses, Inc.  \nBY: DAVID W. WOODRUFF, MSN, RN-­‐BC, CNS, CEN  \nNurses often have difficulty interpreting arterial blood gases (ABGs) . Confusion often begins with trying to remember many random rules and lacking a standardized approach to ABGs. In addition, nurses often attempt to analyze too many components of the ABG at the same time. The result is often confusion and an incorrect diagnosis.  \nTherefore, the “6 Easy Steps to ABG Analysis” were developed to provide nurses with an accurate and systematic method of easily interpreting arterial blood gases.  \nThe “6 Easy Steps to ABG Analysis” are listed below for easy reference, and will be explained in more detail in the sections that follow. Lastly, examples will be presented with a systematic review of pertinent findings.  \nThe 6 Easy Steps to ABG Analysis:  \n1. Is the pH normal?  \n2. Is the CO2 normal?  \n3. Is the HCO3 normal?  \n4. Match the CO2 or the HCO3 with the pH  \n5. Does the CO2 or the HCO3 go the opposite direction of the pH?  \n6. Are the pO2 and the O2 saturation normal?  \nIn order for our analysis to be effective, notes will have to be written next to the resultson our lab slip. Alternately, the ABG results can be transcribed onto another paper for analysis (see example one below for the format) .  \n[www.Ed4Nurses.com](www.Ed4Nurses.com)  1  \n6 Easy Steps to ABG Analysis ©1997-­‐2011 Ed4Nurses, Inc.  \nStep 1: Analyze the pH  \nThe first step in analyzing ABGs is to look at the pH. Normal blood pH is 7 .4, plus or minus 0 .05, forming the range 7 .35 to 7 .45. If blood pH falls below 7 .35 it is acidic. If blood pH rises above 7 .45, it is alkalotic. If it falls into the normal range, label what side of 7 .4 it falls on. Lower than 7 .4 is normal/acidic, higher than 7 .4 is normal/alkalotic. Label it.  \nStep2: Analyze the CO2  \nThe second step is to examine the pCO2 . Normal pCO2 levels are 35-­‐45mmHg. Below 35 is alkalotic, above 45 is acidic. Label it.  \nStep 3: Analyze the HCO3  \nThe third step is to look at the HCO3 level. A normal HCO3 level is 22-­‐26 mEq/L. If the HCO3 is below 22, the patient is acidotic. If the HCO3 is above 26, the patient is alkalotic. Label it.  \nStep 4: Match the CO2 or the HCO3 with the pH  \nNext match either the pCO2 or the HCO3 with the pH to determine the acid-­‐base disorder. For example, if the pH is acidotic, and the CO2 is acidotic, then the acid-­‐base disturbance is being caused by the respiratory system. Therefore, we call it a respiratory acidosis. However, if the pH is alkalotic and the HCO3 is alkalotic, the acidbase disturbance is being caused by the metabolic (or renal) system. Therefore, it will be a metabolic alkalosis.  \nStep 5: Does the CO2 or HCO3 go the opposite direction of the pH?  \nFifth, does either the CO2 or HCO3 go in the opposite direction of the pH? If so, there is compensation by that system. For example, the pH is acidotic, the CO2 is acidotic, and the HCO3 is alkalotic. The CO2 matches the pH making the primary acid-­‐base disorder respiratory acidosis. The HCO3 is opposite of the pH and would be evidence of compensation from the metabolic system.  \nStep 6: Analyze the pO2 and the O2 saturation.  \nFinally, evaluate the PaO2 and O2 sat. If they are below normal there is evidence of hypoxemia.  \n[www.Ed4Nurses.com](www.Ed4Nurses.com)  2  \n6 Easy Steps to ABG Analysis ©1997-­‐2011 Ed4Nurses, Inc.  \nNormal Values (At sea level): Range:  \n\n| pH | 7.35-­‐7.45 |\n| --- | --- |\n| pCO2 | 35-­‐45 mmHg |\n| pO2 | 80-­‐100 mmHg |\n| O2 Saturation | 95-­‐100% |\n| HCO3-­‐ | 22-­‐26 mEq/L |\n| Base Excess | + or -­‐ 2 |\n\n[www.Ed4Nurses.com](www.Ed4Nurses.com)  3  \n6 Easy Steps to ABG Analysis ©1997-­‐2011 Ed4Nurses, Inc.  \nLOOK AT THE CHART BELOW TO DE","cbCairduqdWdEGqb","https://ap.wps.com/l/cbCairduqdWdEGqb","pdf",1289268,13,"English","# 6 Easy Steps to ABG Analysis\n## Step 1: Analyze the pH\n## Step 2: Analyze the CO2\n## Step 3: Analyze the HCO3\n## Step 4: Match the CO2 or the HCO3 with the pH\n## Step 5: Does the CO2 or HCO3 go the opposite direction of the pH?\n## Step 6: Analyze the pO2 and the O2 saturation\n## Normal Values and Abnormal Evaluation Chart\n## ROME Acronym Reminder\n## Compensation and Homeostasis Concepts","[{\"question\":\"Why do nurses often feel confused when interpreting ABGs?\",\"answer\":\"Confusion usually starts from trying to remember many random rules and using an unstandardized approach. It also happens when too many ABG components are analyzed at the same time.\"},{\"question\":\"What are the first three steps in the ABG method?\",\"answer\":\"Step 1 checks whether pH is normal, acidic, or alkalotic. Step 2 evaluates pCO2 as alkalotic or acidic. Step 3 analyzes HCO3 and labels it as acidotic or alkalotic based on normal ranges.\"},{\"question\":\"How does Step 4 determine respiratory vs metabolic acid-base disorders?\",\"answer\":\"Step 4 matches either CO2 or HCO3 with the pH to identify what system is causing the imbalance. If pH and CO2 are both acidotic, the disturbance is respiratory acidosis; if pH and HCO3 are both alkalotic, the disturbance is metabolic alkalosis.\"}]","6 Easy Steps to ABG Analysis - Easy Guide | PDF",1791929247]