A doctor needs to be present to draw blood?

[psu_213]

I go to my doctor's office for routine blood draws--it's drawn by the LPN. One day recently I went there to have blood drawn. After a few minutes wait, the LPN said to me "sorry for the wait--I'm just waiting for Dr. Jones to show up. I can't draw it until there is a doctor in the building."

Is this the usual policy at doctors' offices? Were they afraid that she might nick my aorta while drawing blood from my AC (and, yes, I say this in jest)? Is there a doctor present at every lab site that draws blood?

[BuckyBadgerRN, ASN, RN]

Maybe its a state law type of thing? I know in WI a dental hygenist cannot give a local anesthetic without a DDS on site. The DDS has to remain in the building the entire time the patient is being seen as well.

[sunflower918]

I've been a phleb for many years; in the hospital where I currently work we take care of both inpatients and outpatients. At our outpatient sites (which are at separate addresses than the main hospital), most of the time we're fine to draw w/out a doc there. However, an outpatient site that I frequently work at takes care of high-risk OB patients. Many of those practitioners prefer that we draw during office hours only. Seems that it's because if a patient reacts badly to a blood draw (seizure, vaso-vagal causing fainting, etc) our only option is to call EMS. Maybe it's the patient population in the doc's office?

lol...in 20 yrs of phlebotomy have rarely needed a doc available for sticks...plus I work for a teaching institution. Can't imagine calling a 1st year for help with much:roflmao:

[ksrn20]

It might not be so much of the doctor having to supervise but rather a policy set up at that particular office. The office that I work at does not allow patients in unless there is a doctor on site.

[Ella26, BSN, RN]

At my old job, a doctor had to present when our LPN gave an allergy injection in case of a reaction....maybe it is like that??

I work at an allergy clinic. And our providers/doctors need to be in the clinic for us to give our allergy shots. We really do not have the same specific policy with regards to labs. Our MA's draw the blood not the nurses. But they cant just draw blood on their own, they need "orders" from the Dr. of what to draw. So may be thats it??

[netglow, ASN, RN]

Eh, nice that he's there. If he owns the business, it's good he cares. As a former business owner, I'd understand that.

He could easily be the type where he's off to a ball game for the rest of the afternoon, when you are doing an infusion, or wanting you to give some kind of anesthetic while he's still 10 minutes away so the patient is ready for him when he arrives.. things go fine 9 out of 10 times - then they don't.

[ThePrincessBride, MSN, RN, NP]

I'm a nurse's aide, and I don't have to have anyone present to draw up blood. Weird.

[psu_213, BSN, RN]

Eh, nice that he's there. If he owns the business, it's good he cares. As a former business owner, I'd understand that.

The office is owned by a hospital corporation. The doctors there are employees of the system.

[Pets to People]

I'm a nurse's aide, and I don't have to have anyone present to draw up blood. Weird.

I didn't realize a nurse's aide could draw blood, other than a finger stick glucose check?

[sapphire18]

I didn't realize a nurse's aide could draw blood, other than a finger stick glucose check?

Yup yup, very common. Not everywhere but everywhere I've ever worked.

[Esme12, ASN, BSN, RN]

It sounds to me like something happened that had a bad outcome.

Massive hematoma....patient passed out, hit their head, was on coumadin and ended up with ahead bleed, did CPR on someone who passed out and broke a few ribs, wrong labs labeled with the wrong patient labs and a patient got a blood transfusion with the wrong blood......something happened in that office that was bad and the "corrective action taken" is that they MD will be in the building before labs are done.

I would hope a MD would have to be present with the injection of Lidocaine/novacaine due to anaphylaxis.

Anyone can draw blood if "properly trained" and competence is maintained.

[dorrybnursing]

When I worked as a PCT we did all the blood draws

[bopeep82]

It may be the person is working under the doctor's license. I am a phlebotomist and worked in a doctors office. I taught the physician's assistant how to draw blood (yes, I was the victim...I mean teaching specimen). I was dumbfounded that most people are not taught proper phlebotomy techniques. I seriously face palmed myself.