29: Appendix A- Adult Lab Values
Note: These values could change slightly based on parameters set by specific healthcare facilities
| Complete Blood Count (CBC) | |
| Red blood cell (RBC) |
4.5 – 5.0 million cells/mm
3
(female)
4.7 – 6.2 million cells/mm 3 (male) |
| White blood cell (WBC) | 4,500 – 11,000 cells/mm 3 |
| Hemoglobin |
12 – 16 g/dL (female)
13 – 17 g/dL (male) |
| Hematocrit |
35 – 47% (female)
42 – 53% (male) |
| Platelets | 150,000 – 400,000/mm 3 |
| Complete Metabolic Panel (CMP) | |
| Blood urea nitrogen (BUN) | 6 – 24 mg/dL |
| Serum creatinine | 0.6 – 1.2 mg/dL |
| Estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) | > 60 mL/min/1.73m 2 |
| Carbon dioxide | 23 – 29 mmol/L |
| Glucose | 65 – 110 mg/dL |
| Chloride | 95 – 105 mEq/L |
| Potassium | 3.5 – 5.2 mEq/L |
| Sodium | 135 – 145 mEq/L |
| Calcium | 8.3 – 10.2 md/dL |
| Phosphorus | 3.0 – 4.5 mg/dL |
| Magnesium | 1.3 – 2.1 mEq/L |
| Serum osmolality | 285 – 295 mOsm/kg H 2 O |
| Albumin | 3.5 – 5.5 g/dL |
| Total protein | 5.5 – 8.3 g/dL |
| Bilirubin | 0.1 – 1.2 mg/dL |
|
Liver function tests (LFTs)
Aspartate aminotransferase (AST) Alanine aminotransferase (ALT) |
9 – 25 units/L (female) 10 – 40 units/L (male) 7 – 20 units/L (female) 10 – 55 units/L (male) |
| Arterial Blood Gas (ABG) | |
| pH | 7.35 – 7.45 |
| Partial pressure of oxygen (PaO 2 ) | 80 – 100% |
| Partial pressure of carbon dioxide (PaCO 2 ) | 35 – 45 mmHg |
| Bicarbonate (HCO 3 ) | 22 – 26 mEq/L |
| Coagulation Labs | |
| International normalized ratio (INR) |
0.8 – 1.2
2 – 3 is normal for patients on warfarin |
| Prothrombin time (PT) |
11 – 13 seconds
1.5-2x longer if on anticoagulants |
| Partial thromboplastin time (PTT) |
60 – 70 seconds
1.5 – 2x longer if on anticoagulants |
| Activated partial thromboplastin time (aPTT) |
25 – 35 seconds
1.5 – 2x longer if on anticoagulants |
| Lipid Panel | |
| High density lipoprotein (HDL) | > 40 mmol/L |
| Low density lipoprotein (LDL) | < 100 mmol/L |
| Triglycerides | < 120 mmol/L |
| Total cholesterol | < 170 mmol/L |
| Hemoglobin A1C | |
| Normal | < 5.7% |
| Prediabetes | 5.7 – 6.4% |
| Diabetes | > 6.5% |
References
Gaines, K. (2023). NCLEX lab values nursing students need to know . https://nurse.org/education/lab-values-nclex/
Martin, P. (2024). Complete normal lab values reference guide & cheat sheet . https://nurseslabs.com/normal-lab-va...nclex-nursing/