Published
Depends on a few things: scope of practice as stated in the NPA and facility policy. My facility, ABGs can only be drawn by nursing if an arterial line is present and they can draw from it without having to stick the patient. Sticking a patient who doesn't already have arterial access must be done by either respiratory therapy or MD/PA/NP.
I work in a medium sized hospital (around 320 bed), in the ICU we draw our own ABGs both stick or art line. Out of the ICU, lab draws them. IMHO if you are allowed to do then learn how to. There's nothing more irritating then when you really needs to be done RIGHT NOW and you have to wait for someone else to come do it for you. This applies to a lot more then just ABGs too.
Most places I've worked, respiratory does them on the floor and in the ICU, unless there's an art line or a doc/NP/PA right there.
Why respiratory? ABGs assess effective respiratory function. Phlebs usually do the venous draws in most facilities, unless there is a central line in place, in which case the RNs draw it. Some small facilities don't use phlebs/RT and the RNs are responsible for all the lab draws.
kiwistudentnurse
6 Posts
Hi everyone!
I am doing an assignment on the respiratory system and we need to discuss tests relevant to our system. One of the ones I am discussing is Arterial Blood Gases (ABG's). I was curious, do nurses actually perform this test (e.g. to we actually draw the blood?) or is that out of our scope of practice?
Thanks :)