A pet peeve of mine is when a fluid bolus is given, but it’s given over an extended period of time. There is a term for that, “maintenance fluid.” And maintenance fluid is not generally helpful at all, and it certainly isn’t helpful to the patient who needs a bolus. Dr Obiajulu Anozie has a great Instagram post detailing why this is and how to address fluid boluses in your patient. It should go without saying, make sure that your patient needs a fluid bolus first. But, then, if you’re going to give a bolus, give a bolus.
critical care notes 