Patient
Information
Peri-operative Care
Adult, fluid balance pack
The purpose of this pack
Keeping hydrated is essential to staying healthy. The purpose of this pack is to help you
take charge of your fluid intake whilst in hospital and understand the importance of
drinking sufficiently.
This pack provides the following:
The facts on the importance of keeping hydrated.
Your individual recommended fluid intake.
How to fill in the fluid balance record sheet.
Cup volumes used in the Trust.
The facts
Drinking good amounts of fluid essentially can contribute towards you staying fit and
healthy. However, when we become ill it can become difficult to maintain a healthy fluid
intake. A recommended fluid intake is on average two litres per day, although each
individual is different.
Your recommended daily fluid intake, discussed by the doctor is:
Some people may even be on fluid restrictions; this is often due to excess fluid in the
body.
The benefits
Improves concentration, reduces headaches.
Reduces risks of urinary tract infections.
Reduces symptoms of constipation.
Improves low blood pressure.
Reduces risk of pressure sores.
Improves the health in your mouth.
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Patient
Information
If you drink too little there is a risk that you may become dehydrated. Signs of
dehydration include:
dry mouth or lips
thirst
headaches
tiredness
confusion
loose skin
dark coloured urine or passing only small amounts of urine.
You are more at risk of becoming dehydrated if you do not drink sufficiently, are
experiencing diarrhoea or vomiting and have excessive sweating. Some medications
also have side effects that can cause dehydration.
The fluid balance record sheet
The fluid balance record is designed to monitor your input and output of fluid, and
highlight early if you are not hydrated enough or too much. Your input is anything you
drink orally or is given to you intravenously, and the output includes urine.
On the fluid balance chart, there is an oral input column. Here you can write down
the volume you drank next to the time you drank it (for cup volume sizes, please
see the back page).
Your nursing team will also assist with your fluid balance chart. They will document the
fluid input that you haven’t taken orally, document your fluid output, and provide a fluid
balance total every six hours at minimum.
The fluid charts are available from the nurse on the ward: one for each day.
Cup volumes used in the Trust
185mls 250mls 170mls 220mls
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Patient
Information
170mls 150mls 185mls
This fluid pack was an innovation based on a pledge to improve fluid balance recording
and actively support the NHS constitution to value, support and empower individuals to
manage their own health.
Patient fluid balance pack discussed and accepted by patient.
Sign: Date:
We are now a smoke-free site: smoking will not be allowed anywhere on the hospital
site.
For advice and support in quitting, contact your GP or the free NHS stop smoking
helpline on 0800 169 0 169.
Help with this leaflet:
If you would like this information in another language, large print or
audio format, please ask the department to contact
Patient Information: 01223 216032 or
[Link]@[Link]
Document history
Authors Student Nurse
Pharmacist N/A
Department Cambridge University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, Hills Road,
Cambridge, CB2 0QQ [Link]
Contact number 01223 245151
Publish/Review date January 2018/January 2021
File name Adult_fluid_balance_pack.doc
Version number/Ref 2/PIN3546/Document ID 32990
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