ABG Interpretation for Nurses: Everything You Need To Know To Interpret Arterial Blood Gases

Arterial blood gases (or ABGs) are some of the more difficult lab tests to understand in all of medicine. Sure, there are normal results given along with the test values, but it doesn't end there. What does a certain pH in the blood mean? Where does the bicarbonate level come from? These components, along with other values, need to be understood so you can interpret them.

Basically, the ABGs are a test of the arterial blood that check the oxygen lev...