Wait, what the what ?!

Specialties NICU

Published

I was talking to my Nicu friends and I was told that per the FDA and hospital policy that only BSNs can do heel stick to test Glucose on critically ill babies. I find this to be a slap in the face for experienced nursed without a BSN. Have they lost their minds ? Any one else heard of this non-sense ?

klone, MSN, RN

14,790 Posts

Specializes in OB-Gyn/Primary Care/Ambulatory Leadership.

What would the FDA have to do with it? I call BS. It's within the scope of an RN, and ALL RNs have the same scope, regardless of the type of degree they have.

If it were an FDA requirement, then it would be a requirement in EVERY state, as the FDA is Federal. And it's not.

Total BS. If I were one of those nurses, I would request the FDA documentation stating as such, as well as the hospital policy and rationale.

caliotter3

38,333 Posts

Somebody is pulling somebody's heel!

ChellyFutureNP

75 Posts

Specializes in Primary Care, Progressive Care.

Are we thinking about the same FDA i know? Food and Drug Adminstration? Haha!

Checking blood glucose on a baby's heel is not food or drug related. The statement claimed just doesn't make sense... Next time tell them you'd like to see where it's written in your hospital policy "so u can familiarize urself with this (ridiculous) policy".

nurseprnRN, BSN, RN

1 Article; 5,115 Posts

I was talking to my Nicu friends and I was told that per the FDA and hospital policy that only BSNs can do heel stick to test Glucose on critically ill babies. I find this to be a slap in the face for experienced nursed without a BSN. Have they lost their minds ? Any one else heard of this non-sense ?

While good self-righteous froth is somewhat satisfying in the very short term, there's nothing better than the response you get when you say, "Show me that in writing."

Skepticism is one of the bases of evidence-based practice. Exercise your right to use it.

BSNbeauty, BSN, RN

1,939 Posts

I agree with you all.I'm still waiting on one of them to forward me that email. Unbelievable.

vanilla bean

861 Posts

Did she happen to tell you this on April Fool's Day? :woot:

kool-aide, RN

594 Posts

Specializes in Cardiac.

My hospital in Indianapolis has recently told us that diploma RNs cannot perform FSBG in critical care areas.....I've been told that this is a larger health governing body setting this precedent....but I don't know much more than that.

Specializes in NICU, ICU, PICU, Academia.

Ah- i see where this is coming from. Last year (year before?) we had to submit our transcripts in order to somehow get vetted in the glucometer's system. I would imagine- much like the childhood game of telephone- that this message has been distorted through many tellings.

nurseprnRN, BSN, RN

1 Article; 5,115 Posts

Ah- i see where this is coming from. Last year (year before?) we had to submit our transcripts in order to somehow get vetted in the glucometer's system. I would imagine- much like the childhood game of telephone- that this message has been distorted through many tellings.

:anpom: Ding-ding-ding!! We have a winnah! :anpom:

(meanmaryjean's in Indiana too, if I recall.)

KelRN215, BSN, RN

1 Article; 7,349 Posts

Specializes in Pedi.
Ah- i see where this is coming from. Last year (year before?) we had to submit our transcripts in order to somehow get vetted in the glucometer's system. I would imagine- much like the childhood game of telephone- that this message has been distorted through many tellings.

Yes, this kind of thing happens all the time. When I worked in the hospital, there was a persistent rumor that only MDs could place/read PPDs on patients. Everyone- up to the charge RN who'd been around for 20+ years- believed this and passed it on to all new hires. One day I went to ask our Clinical Nurse Specialist why this was and she was incredulous when I told her that our entire staff believed that we couldn't do this. She promptly sent out an email informing everyone that all staff nurses are qualified to perform intradermals. People had never questioned this false premise until then...

Specializes in L&D, OBED, NICU, Lactation.

This has nothing to do with the FDA. It is a new CLIA requirement that the College of American Pathologists (CAP) surveyors are looking for. Basically it requires Lab Personnel and Nurses that perform moderate to high complexity testing to have a diploma or transcript in their personnel file. You can be surveyed at any time and potentially lose lab accreditation if this is not complete and documented.

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