Description:
This Palm PDA application walks a clinician through a stepwise evaluation of ABG's and Electrolytes in order to assess all the acid-base disorders which may be present and arrive at diagnostic ideas for pt care.
Although I have seen at least 2 other such Palm PDA analysis apps for ABG's and Acid-Base, they give answers but don't show and teach the thinking process. If I can't see the thinking process, I can't scrutinize the info and the answers myself, and I certainly can't expect students and residents to learn the process from it, so I wrote this one to do just that, aimed at residents and students as well as attendings who only do this care occasionally (me!).
It also helps one take the next step in care, by providing all those mnemonic differential dx'es that are otherwise impossible to memorize ("mudpiles, hardups, champs", etc.). I have adapted this tool from several sources, including a 1991 article from RJ Haber, a wonderful worksheet adaptation of the article produced by an internist, Dr. Erik Rupard, and the classic 1980 Narins article. I'd be grateful for feedback on the design, functionality, educational value, and so forth.
