Final answer:
Before collecting an ABG on a client, certain lab tests should be performed to assess acid-base imbalances, including measuring the blood pH, CO₂ partial pressure, and bicarbonate levels. These tests help determine the type of imbalance and whether compensation is occurring.
Step-by-step explanation:
Before collecting an ABG on a client, certain test should be performed to assess acid-base imbalances. These tests include measuring the blood pH, the CO₂ partial pressure (pCO₂), and the total bicarbonate (HCO3-) levels. These lab tests help determine whether the imbalance is respiratory or metabolic and whether compensatory mechanisms are functioning properly.
The blood pH value indicates whether the blood is in acidosis, within the normal range, or in alkalosis. The pCO₂ and total HCO3 levels provide further information to classify the condition as metabolic or respiratory and to assess compensation.
For example, in metabolic acidosis, there would be lower-than-normal levels of bicarbonate in the blood. The pCO₂ may initially be normal, but if compensation occurs, it would decrease as the body restores the proper ratio of bicarbonate and carbonic acid/CO₂.