IV starts and blood draws?

Specialties PACU

Published

Hello! I was wondering if PACU nurses do IV starts or draw labs? Could be either inpatient or outpatient. TIA!

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Specializes in OR, Nursing Professional Development.

Patients should be coming with an IV in place from the OR. Labs may be needed in PACU, depending on the type of surgery and the patient's status.

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I draw labs all the time in pacu.  Sometimes, a patient rips out their IV or the one they came with is not good so I start another.  That’s rare though.  
 

But say I have a thyroidectomy, I’m definitely drawing labs.  Or if they get some blood, I’m drawing labs.  The other day I had q15 to q30 minute ABGs.  

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