How to assess hydration status
Other platforms explain it with text and video. In Making Synapses you practice it on the patient.
No single sign tells hydration. Put several together.
Step by step
History
Intake, vomiting, diarrhea, urine output, thirst. [1]
Vital signs
Fast pulse, low blood pressure, orthostatic drop. [1]
Mouth and eyes
Dry mouth and lips, sunken eyes. [1]
Skin
Turgor under the collarbone, capillary refill. [1]
Urine and weight
Color, amount, daily weight change. [1]
Overload signs
Edema, crackles, raised neck veins. [1]
Common errors
- Relying on skin turgor in older adults.
- Not checking orthostatic signs.
- Missing fluid overload.
Practice it in Making Synapses
In Making Synapses you do this on the patient, not on paper: every step goes on the checklist with a score, and in Teach mode Blocky tells you what comes next.
Making Synapses cases that train this skill
- Child with diarrhea and dehydration
- Anorexia nervosa with dehydration
- Dehydration with Alzheimer and delirium
- Urinary tract infection with delirium
- Hyperglycemic hyperosmolar state
- Septic shock
30 Making Synapses cases train this skill: open the case library
Sources
- Open RN, Nursing Skills 2e (Chippewa Valley Technical College) (CC BY 4.0)
- OpenStax, Clinical Nursing Skills (reference)
Steps adapted from Open RN, Nursing Skills 2e (Chippewa Valley Technical College), licensed under CC BY 4.0. Facts and steps also follow OpenStax, Clinical Nursing Skills (reference). Making Synapses is not affiliated with these organizations. Updated: 2026-10-11.