The nurse administers an intravenous (IV) hypertonic solution to a patient. In which direction will the fluid shift?

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Hypertonic solutions will move fluid from the intracellular to the extracellular (intravascular). A hypertonic solution has a concentration greater than normal body fluids, so water will shift out of cells because of the osmotic pull of the extra particles. Movement of water from the extracellular (intravascular) into cells (intracellular) occurs when hypotonic fluids are administered. Distribution of fluid between intravascular and interstitial spaces occurs by filtration, the net sum of hydrostatic and osmotic pressures.

The Nurse Administers an Intravenous (IV) Hypertonic Solution to a Patient