PKU Testing: Do you do your own or does Lab do it?

RMH · Jul 23, 2003

Our ward clerk makes out the request form. Lab does the actual draw...I'm not sure if they charge for it..I'll ask when they get here today.

RMH

mother/babyRN, RN · Jul 23, 2003

It is chargeable..At one facility we charge for it and the lab draws it...At the other facility we do all the lab draws on mom and babies, including bilirubin, cbcs etc both venous and capillary...

SmilingBluEyes · Jul 23, 2003

LAB??? Must be nice. Everywhere I have worked we have always drawn our own newborn labs, including PKU.

layna · Jul 23, 2003

Thanks so much for all of the input! RMH- I appreciate your asking lab about it.

Our lab does the PKU and does not get reimbursed for buying the cards used. I was wondering how everyone else was managing this test to see what would work best.

If you think of anything else, please send my way!

All of you on here are so helpful,

Layna

RMH · Jul 24, 2003

Ok a day late, but...the state charges us 59.00 for reading the test. We do not bill the patient directly. It's suppose to be a part of our "OB" rate. Ha!Ha! What that really means is we write it off...

RMH

SmilingBluEyes · Jul 24, 2003

it;s part of our OB charges, I forgot to add.

rn500 · Jul 28, 2003

The lab does it where I work now, everywhere else I've worked, the nurses did it. This sounds a little weird, but I actually LIKED doing them - it was a challenge and I had gotten really good at filling that WHOLE CIRCLE with ONE drop of blood, like you're supposed to :-)

SmilingBluEyes · Jul 28, 2003

Oftentimes, I have used PKU draws as an opportunity to practice starting IV's on babies, back when I needed to. It was much less traumatic than most heel sticks ever were. Many babies slept thru it. It's a legit way to get IV start practice, really. I do heelsticks often cause they are more "controlled" and less messy AND by the time I have warmed that heel (with a good heel warmer or very warm washcloth), it only takes about 3 minutes to do and NO squeezing/milking to get the blood sufficient to get the job done. Either way, it takes practice.

Mimi2RN, ASN, RN · Jul 28, 2003

We draw our own PKU's, although this may change in the future. It would be easier if we had better lancets. Since we went to safety equipment, it's harder to draw, and we have less control of the lancets.

SmilingBluEyes · Jul 28, 2003

try IV route, then, Mimi. NO lancets needed there.

renerian, BSN, RN · Jul 28, 2003

I hated doing heel sticks on babies when I did mom baby visits for the health department. I always felt bad squeezing their little feet.......

renerian