Funny Policy

Published

On ABGs:

15. The patient should remain quiet for 15 minutes before a blood sample is drawn.

Hahah can you imagine instructing your patient on this prior to getting an ABG? Have you ever even heard of that?? I think I have an inkling of the rationale behind this but... really??

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The doc doesn't want you getting the pt up in a chair or something and desaturating just before you stick him for arterial blood. You might want to correlate that with his sats at the time (to see how your sat monitor matches the arterial sats) and again during exercise/exertion.

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That makes sense but when when it says remain "quiet" it makes me think of "don't talk" instead of "keep still."

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Policies should be crystal clear... check when it was last revised. If its ordered stat or now skip the 15m rule. Just sayin

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Specializes in Med-Surg.

Forgive my silliness here, but I've been with a group of preschoolers all afternoon. I just felt like blurting out, " ABG time isn't for another 15 minutes. It's quiet time now. Heads down on the mats everyone".

Sorry, couldn't help myself :)

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