Re: Blood draw from IVs? Originally Posted by alkaleidi 
Of all the people who currently DO draw blood from IVs...
Can anyone send me info supporting this practice? Our ED is going to be going from that back to starting IV with 1 (or more) stick, and drawing blood with a separate stick. I have worked in the ED both here and in another far larger hospital for approx 1.5 yrs and have *NEVER* had a specimen from lab have to be redrawn due to it being hemolyzed. Maybe just my luck, but they are saying that hemolyzed specimen are why we are going back to separate sticks... and the only evidence-based practice findings that they can find support the idea that drawing blood from IVs causes hemolysis and inaccurate labs. I agree it happens on occasion but I think it happens from butterfly/needle stick blood draws as well... just can't find documentation to support.
Thanks in advance!!!
-A
Good luck finding studies or info regarding this practice. I have drawn what I needed from IVs to keep from having to stick a second time. It's counterproductive in pediatrics, and anywhere else we're using an "extra" vein that may be needed at another time for IV access.
We routinely draw blood from even the smallest of IVs - 24 gauges, without problems in most cases. In my experience, it's a matter of
doing it right that is a problem for many.
As long as you draw back a waste from your IV site to rid your sample of unwanted saline or heparin, your labs will correllate nicely with any venipuncture. That much I know.
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