Editing Reduction of Risk Potential (section)

=== Hematology ===

;Hemoglobin, approximately 12 to 16 g/dL in females and 14 to 18 g/dL in males
;Hematocrit, approximately 37 to 47 percent in females and 42 to 52 percent in males
Hematocrit is roughly three times the hemoglobin. Both fall with bleeding, hemolysis, marrow suppression, and chronic kidney disease, and both rise with dehydration (a relative, not a true, increase) and with chronic hypoxemia. Nursing application: after any procedure with bleeding risk, a falling hemoglobin with rising heart rate and falling blood pressure is occult hemorrhage until proven otherwise (Ignatavicius et al., 2021; Pagana et al., 2022).

;White blood cells, approximately 5,000 to 10,000/mm3
Elevation suggests infection, inflammation, stress, or corticosteroid effect. Depression suggests marrow suppression from chemotherapy or radiation, overwhelming sepsis, or immune disorders. A left shift with increased immature bands signals acute bacterial infection. The absolute neutrophil count, not the total white count, determines infection risk; a count below 500/mm3 is severe neutropenia. Nursing application: neutropenic clients may mount no purulent drainage and no leukocytosis, so a low-grade fever may be the only sign of serious infection and warrants immediate reporting (Ignatavicius et al., 2021; Pagana et al., 2022).

;Platelets, approximately 150,000 to 400,000/mm3
Below roughly 50,000/mm3 raises bleeding risk with trauma or procedures, and below roughly 20,000/mm3 raises the risk of spontaneous bleeding. Nursing application: institute bleeding precautions, which include an electric razor, a soft toothbrush, no rectal temperatures or suppositories, no intramuscular injections when avoidable, prolonged pressure after venipuncture, and avoidance of aspirin and nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (Harding et al., 2023; Pagana et al., 2022).