NCLEX LAB VALUES

Hgb

Female 12–16 g/dL | Male 14–18 g/dL → "Women get 12, men get 14, both add 4"

Hct

Female 37–47% | Male 42–52% → "Hct is roughly 3x your Hgb"

RBC

4.2–5.5 million/mm³ → "4 to 5, keep it alive"

WBC

5,000–10,000/mm³ → "5 to 10 thousand, fighting for you"

PLT

150,000–400,000/mm³ → "150 to 400, platelets on patrol"

PTT

20–30 sec (therapeutic

PT

10–12 sec (therapeutic

INR

0.9–1.2 (therapeutic

Na

135–145 mEq/L → "135 to 145, Na keeps you alive"

K

3.5–5.0 mEq/L → "3.5 to 5, K helps the heart thrive"

Ca

9–10.5 mg/dL → "9 to 10, Ca keeps bones zen"

Mg

1.5–2.5 mEq/L → "1.5 to 2.5, Mg in the middle"

Cl

98–106 mEq/L → "98 to 106, Cl follows Na's tricks"

Phosphorous

3.0–4.5 mEq/L → "3 to 4.5, phosphorus for energy"

Glucose

70–110 mg/dL → "70 to 110, sugar in the zone"

BUN

10–20 mg/dL → "10 to 20, kidneys staying clean"

Creatinine

0.6–1.2 mg/dL → "under 1.2, creatinine is free"

GFR

90–120 mL/min → "90 to 120, kidneys in the green"

ALP

30–120 IU/L → "30 to 120, ALP has the widest range"

AST

0–35 IU/L → "AST and ALT, both stay under 35-ish"

ALT

4–36 IU/mL → "ALT is liver-specific, AST is everywhere"

Total Protein

6.4–8.3 g/dL → "6 to 8, protein holds the water straight"

Albumin

3.5–5 g/dL → "3.5 to 5, albumin keeps fluid inside"

Bilirubin

Ammonia

15–110 mcg/dL → "15 to 110, ammonia from protein breakdown"

Troponin

0–0.4 → "Troponin anything above zero is a warning"

BNP

CPK

Male 55–170 IU/L | Female 30–135 IU/L → "CPK = muscle damage, think rhabdo"

CPK-MB

0% → "MB should be zero, any rise = heart in trouble"

Myoglobin

Male 10–95 ng/mL | Female 10–65 ng/mL → "Myoglobin rises first after a heart attack"

Total Cholesterol

HDL

Male >45 mg/dL | Female >55 mg/dL → "HDL is the Hero, Higher is Healthier"

LDL

Triglycerides

Male 40–160 mg/dL | Female 35–135 mg/dL → "Trigs mirror your diet, keep them low"

TSH

0.5–5 milli-IU/L → "TSH is the boss — high TSH = thyroid slacking"

T4

5–12 ng/dL → "T4 is storage, think 5 to 12"

T3

70–220 ng/dL → "T3 is active, think bigger numbers"

Nondiabetic

4–5.6% → "under 5.6, you're in the clear"

Prediabetes

5.7%-6.5%

Diabetic Target

7% → "diabetics aim for 7, not perfect but safe" but 6.5% is diabetes

D-dimer

CRP

ESR

Male ≤15 mm/hr | Female ≤20 mm/hr → "ESR = Erythrocytes Slowly Resting, females get a little more"

Specific Gravity

1.005–1.030 → "1.005 dilute, 1.030 dehydrated"

Osmolarity

300–900 → "300 dilute, 900 concentrated"

Albumin

50–80 → "albumin in urine = kidney leaking"

WBC

0–4 → "any more than 4, think UTI or infection"

Protein

Negative → "protein in urine = kidneys in trouble"

Glucose

Negative → "glucose in urine = spilling sugar, think diabetes"

Ketones

Negative → "ketones = burning fat instead of sugar"

pH

7.35–7.45 → "under 7.35 acidic, over 7.45 basic — stay in the middle"

HCO3

22–26 mEq/L → "Bicarb = kidneys = metabolic"

CO2

35–45 mmHg → "CO2 = lungs = respiratory"