heelstick or venous???

[kaibigan]

what do you usually prefer to make use of when obtaining morning lab/bloodworks for babies? do you frequently use venous or heelstick? in my hospital, nurses prefer to use venous as compared to heelstick even if they will get only a small amount of blood for MBR.

do you do the same in your hospital? when is it best indicated to perform venous draws? in my previous hospital we do venous for blood CS and if massive labworks has to be done but not for MBR per se. pls. i need your opinion on this matter....thanks!

"It is not the one who acts the most; or the one who gives the most; but the one who loves the most and WINS the most."

[BittyBabyGrower, MSN, RN]

I have a friend that is in Saudi....I give you all credit for working there!

[sparkyRN]

To answer Kaibigan's question, "heel stick or venous?"

Stick the heel, save the vein.

If no UAC or art line, use an art stick for blood culture, coag studies and when a volume greater than about 1.5cc are needed.

[sparkyRN]

Kaibigan-

Sorry to hear you are having difficulty adjusting to your new hospital environment. The way you've described it, it sounds a little scary if the nurses are all doing their own thing and not following a unit protocol....scarier still if there's no protocol in place or not being enforced by the nurse manager. Surely there is an updated policy and procedure manual available to you in your unit. It is a JCAHO requirement. Perhaps it's time to sit down in private with your nurse manager and go over your concerns. They sound legitimate to me.

[kaibigan]

it is nice to receive helpful points of view from NICU nurses all over the globe.

best of all, thanks to sparkyRN for your advise and concern.

thanks to bittybabygrower, too!

your share of ideas is highly appreciated by me.

:) :) :) :) :) :) :) :) :) :) :) :) :) :) :) :) :) :) :) :) :) :) :) :)

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And it is also the foundation of courage,

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