What is the fluid balance for Ms. MacLeod given the intake and outputs?

What is the fluid balance for Ms. MacLeod given the intake and outputs?

• A. -110 mL
• B. +900 mL
• C. +250 mL
• D. -650 mL

Answer: (C)

Fluid balance is found by subtracting total outputs from total intake. A positive result means a net gain in fluid, a negative result means a net loss. For Ms. MacLeod, the intake exceeds the outputs by 250 mL, so the balance is +250 mL. This reflects a small net fluid gain—enough to be identified as a positive balance without indicating a large fluid overload. For example, if intake were 2,800 mL and outputs 2,550 mL, the calculation would be 2,800 − 2,550 = +250 mL. The other options would imply either a fluid deficit or a different magnitude of gain that isn’t supported by the given data.

Fluid balance is found by subtracting total outputs from total intake. A positive result means a net gain in fluid, a negative result means a net loss. For Ms. MacLeod, the intake exceeds the outputs by 250 mL, so the balance is +250 mL. This reflects a small net fluid gain—enough to be identified as a positive balance without indicating a large fluid overload. For example, if intake were 2,800 mL and outputs 2,550 mL, the calculation would be 2,800 − 2,550 = +250 mL. The other options would imply either a fluid deficit or a different magnitude of gain that isn’t supported by the given data.