who does the blood draws in your hospital?

[annieboo444]

Right now our phlembolist draw all it labs except for central lines of coorifice. Starting Sept 1 we have to draw our labs. Just thinking when we have time to do that?? Who draws the labs at your hospital.

[TU RN, DNP, CRNA]

The nurses do.

I've heard from more experienced personnel that there used to be a phlebotomy/IV team at my hospital, but that has been done away with due to budgeting. While I hate the "budgeting" rationale, it sort of makes sense. After the AM labs are done, why would you need a whole group of people on the clock for miscellaneous follow-up labs? And it would take a large group for AM labs, if they are to be on time. So what, after 2-3 hours of work as a phlebotomist you go home? That's not really a satisfying (or financially feasible) job to many.

Nonetheless I do wish this phlebotomy/IV team still existed as I would readily vacate my current position in favor of it!

[Dranger]

Lab, but most of my patients have central lines.....

In some instances when they are short staffed the nurses draw.

[Fiona59]

Our lab. Book the routine or STAT stuff. Floor nurse only draw in rare cases.

[blondy2061h, MSN, RN]

All of my patients have central lines, but I believe nurses even do the blood draws on the med/surg floorst now. We occasionally have to do peripheral sticks for lab draws, and nurses do those too. Phlebotomy is there for outpatient draws and we can call them if we're really in a bind, but oh do they moan.

[SierraBravo]

Most of our patients have central lines, too. But occasionally there is the need to do a peripheral stick (such as for a peripheral blood culture). The nurses do all lab draws on our unit, particularly since most patients have central lines anyway. We do have an IV team person who is available for tough sticks, but since there is only one of them you might have to wait a bit if they are busy.

[psu_213, BSN, RN]

My first RN job, either the nurses or techs on the unit. There were no phlebotomists (for the floors anyway).

My 2nd RN job, phlebotomy drew all the labs except for central line draws.

Now I work the ED…nurses or ED tech drawn everything. Phlebotomy is (sometimes) available if no staff on the unit can get blood. If it is emergent, the ED doc will do a fem stick.

[ivikatasha]

Our CNAs draw them, if we don't have a CNA that night then the nurse does. We have an IV Team for super hard sticks.

[Here.I.Stand, BSN, RN]

Lab does most of the peripheral sticks, but not all. They don't do stat ones, and if the lab is ordered as "routine" they ignore it unless it's an 0600 a.m. draw. So if a provider orders serial Na's, if they order it as "routine," the phlebotomist doesn't come if the draw times are 0000, 0600, 1200, 1800. I've modified a lot of orders for our residents for this reason--just change it from "routine" to "timed." They do all blood cultures--unless ordered as "stat."

Nurses draw everything from lines, "stat" labs, "routine" labs not at 0600, and ABGs (sticks.) Actually come to think of it, it might just be my unit where drawing ABGs is the norm. A while back I floated to the MICU, and the RT called and told me she was running behind and wouldn't get to my pt's ABG for another 20 minutes or so. I responded "Actually I got it already. I'm from the SICU and we do our own, so I thought I was supposed to."

[annieboo444]

Thanks guys! I am a med surg nurse so I have 6 patients and most of my patients have reg ivs. Super busy unit so it will be another thing to worry about squeezing into my schedule.

[nynursey_]

We have phlebotomists that do the scheduled draws and occasionally stat draws if the primary nurse doesn't have the time or the patient is a tough stick. If someone's a harder stick than phlebotomy can handle, we have clinical support RN's that can come to the floor and do the draw. Typically, if it's time sensitive, like an aPTT, I'll draw it myself.

[Been there,done that, ASN, RN]

Lab draws the scheduled morning labs, anything ordered during the shift is up to the nurse.

So, if your patient has chest pain ( for example)... nursie will draw the additional serial troponins, etc. In a teaching facility, when rounds are completed and several specialties now feel the need for additional lab values to aid their dx.. nursie must stick the patient again ( and again).

I finally got smart... informed the ordering physician that (barring an emergent situation) I will reschedule with the morning blood draw.

Saved me the time that I did not have, and the patient multiple sticks.