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?

[psu_213, BSN, RN]

To address OP's question: maybe the "LPN" was still a student and wasn't allowed to do draws unsupervised?

Not a bad thought, but I am sure she is not a student. She has been there for the 3 years I have been going to this office and has mentioned her prior job working on a telemetry floor at at nearby hospital for many years.

[multi10]

OP,

But: You haven't worked everywhere.

I didn't say the phlebotomist had "fake nails". I said long, long nails. By your own words, they are not allowed everywhere you have worked. They are quite definitely allowed in some localities. Or perhaps they are not allowed according to company policy, but they still exist. And no one gets fired. "Controversial"? "Sensitive"?

[psu_213, BSN, RN]

OP,

But: You haven't worked everywhere.

I didn't say the phlebotomist had "fake nails". I said long, long nails. By your own words, they are not allowed everywhere you have worked. They are quite definitely allowed in some localities. Or perhaps they are not allowed according to company policy, but they still exist. And no one gets fired. "Controversial"? "Sensitive"?

I think you missed my point....No, I have not worked everywhere and obviously there are places without policies. My point: this is not a sensitive issue. It could be controversial. It could be seen by some as a silly policy. That does not make it sensitive. If someone views a short nail policy as "sensitive" I think they need to reevaluate their priorities.

BTW, thanks for derailing....now back the original topic.

[multi10]

OP, I did not intend to derail your original topic. (And, actually, I didn't.) When you do not like what a person says, you deem it, "A Ridiculous Statement." That's called an ad hominem attack. Now, didn't you learn how to properly debate when you were in college?

"Sensitive?" That is the word that was said. When I complained about the situation I experienced, the person to whom I reported it said, "It's a sensitive situation." I guess she could have said, "It's a controversial situation." Sensitive/Controversial both sides of the same coin.

Last time I checked, this is a thread, which you originated, about drawing blood. I derailed nothing.

[Esme12, ASN, BSN, RN]

I think we need to remember that every place of employment has different rules it varies from facility to facility department to department.

This LPN that needed to wait for the MD I am sure is following a new policy that came about from an incident that occurred...like I said earlier...and to have the MD in the building was the corrective action promised to The Joint Commission/Board of Health etc.

We also need to remember that allnurses is an international site as has members from all over the world. Let's try to remember that when we respond or not agree with what someone says.....for their personal experience may be different from yours.

We can all agree to disagree without being disagreeable.....Gerald Ford

[WunMsJayLPNtoRN]

Maybe they have to run the blood as soon as they draw it & they cant do anything to treat you until an MD is there...so to avoid any delays in treatment or sending you out, they just wait for the doc? It could be a hundred different reasons! If you were that concerned, why didnt you just ask them about the policy? It probably differs from place to place.

[MunoRN, RN]

This is a state law in my state. Phlebotomists work under their own certification and can draw blood without an MD or other licensed person on the premises. MA's can also draw blood, but unlike phlebotomists they are legally required to have an MD/NP "on the premises of the facility" when drawing blood.

[psu_213, BSN, RN]

If you were that concerned, why didnt you just ask them about the policy?

I wouldn't say that I was concerned. It was a bit amusing (that such a policy was in place) and a bit annoying (since I was waiting since the weather was bad and the doc was late getting there).

FWIW, they sent the blood out, so they don't get the results for hours anyway.

[bugya90, ASN, BSN, LVN, RN]

We can draw blood but our medical director or attending for the day has to be "on call" at all times and we cannot give any medications or injections until a doctor is physically in the building per policy. We also have PAs and NPs in our clinic and they cannot begin seeing patients until at least one of our doctors is physically in the building. The doctor does not have to be the assigned attending for the day, they just have to be there as the go to person in case something happens. Luckily we work with 20 doctors between our 3 departments (2 family med and 1 pedi dept) there is almost always one if them in the building by the time the nursing staff starts work ( we are a 8-5 place)

[LadyFlamez]

Perhaps this person was not IV certified as yet ? Now days LPN's have to be certified in most hospitals and or clinics to do phlebotomy. I'm sure it's a question of either legalities or lack of proper training and credentials.

[P_RN, ADN, RN]

Perhaps she had drawn to the wrong color tube at one time? It happens, and it is a bear to remedy.

[NICUmiiki, DNP, NP]

Maybe there wasn't an order for the blood draw, and the nurse was waiting for the doc so she could get orders...