Point of care labs (PT/INR & glucose)

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Does anybody else for for a HH agency who will not allow nurses to collect point of care labs such as PT/INR fingersticks or glucose readings?

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We have 3 physicians who do not allow point of care PT INRs. All of the other doctors are fine with it.

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It's the agency I work for that does not allow the RN's to do point of care testing. Can't do glucose checks either.

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Specializes in COS-C, Risk Management.

They must not have a CLIA waived license.

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Ahhh that might just be it! Thanks Kate! (looked it up and CLIA waiver is only $150 every 2 years, so not sure what the issue is). But, I'll bring it up with corporate.

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Specializes in COS-C, Risk Management.

The license is cheap but it can be very costly in terms of training of staff, maintaining logs, etc. It's a paperwork nightmare.

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The problem is we have to do venipunctures and live in a rural area where the lab result can take up to 48 hours to come back. In my opinion this is not best practice for PT/INR checks where you need the result right away. Kinda scares me.

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I do many point of care fingersticks for PT/INR's and call results to Coumadin Clinic to determine orders and when pT/INR sticks are to be done. There are very few doctors in our county that refuse to the let the HH nurse do the PT/INR sticks, makes it easier on them, and they don't have to go to the MD's office or clinic to get their PT/INR done

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