Master Creatinine Lab Values with Picmonic for Nursing RN

With Picmonic, facts become pictures. We've taken what the science shows - image mnemonics work - but we've boosted the effectiveness by building and associating memorable characters, interesting audio stories, and built-in quizzing.

DOWNLOAD PDF

Recommended Picmonics

Normal Electrolyte Lab Values

Potassium (K+) Lab Value

Sodium (Na+) Lab Value

Chloride (Cl-) Lab Value

Calcium (Ca2+) Lab Value

Creatinine Lab Values

Cr-eam with Test-tube

Picmonic

Serum creatinine is a breakdown product of creatine phosphate in muscle. It is useful in measuring kidney function, as it is an easily measured byproduct of muscle metabolism. Typically, serum creatinine levels are near 0.6-1.3 mg/dL in a healthy kidney, where it is easily able to filter and excrete creatinine. Rises in creatinine can indicate renal damage or failure, where the kidney is unable to properly filter creatinine, causing this lab value to rise in the serum. Keep in mind that many sources will have ranges that vary. The existing range in this Picmonic can be used to assist clinical decisions. Many factors influence these variations including race, age, and sex.

2 KEY FACTS

Creatinine helps to measure renal function and is more reliable than the BUN. This is because creatinine is not reabsorbed by the kidney and is readily excreted by the kidneys. If there is renal dysfunction, the kidneys will not properly filter and excrete waste (creatinine), and its value will rise in the serum.

The normal range for serum creatinine is 0.6 to 1.3 mg/dL.

DOWNLOAD PDF