RN vs. Phlebotomist

[sweet sue]

Hi all,

Just want to know when an RN would draw blood instead of a Phlebotomist when Phlebotomist is available?

sweet sue

[chocokitten]

on my floor the RN would draw if there is a STAT order that is too far away from the scheduled lab draw times (6am, 10am, 1pm, 6pm), during code situations, when the patient is a difficult stick and the phlebotomist fails to obtain blood after 2 sticks, or when the patient has a central line that the nurse could pull blood from without poking the patient.

I always bow :bowingpur to the greater skill of the phlebotomists when it comes to lab draws. This is what they do all day and they at 100% better at it than I... Plus I just don't have time to draw labs unless I have too.

[snowfreeze, BSN, RN]

Most facilities I have worked in had policy that had the RN draw blood for labs on any patients with a central line. Also the ICU/CCUnurse drew all the blood work. If your central line does not have a blood return then the phlebotemist usually draws the blood.

[RNcDreams]

I work in ER and we only call for lab draws if

-the RN can't get blood from an IV start, and then a tech tries and misses

-an RN and a tech tries and each misses

-the IV nurse is barely able to start a line and doesn't get bloods from it

I value their skill, they always come through in a pinch!

[mianders, RN]

I worked ER for many years and we always drew our own labs. I now work IV therapy and I still draw my own labs. I know the nurses on the floors do not draw labs. I think it depends on your facility and what dept you work in.

[meandragonbrett]

I work in the unit and we draw 100% of our labs regardless of what type of access the patient has.

[Bill E. Rubin]

I work as a PCA (a.k.a. CNA, aide, tech) on a med/surg floor, and the PCA's generally draw all the blood, though the nurses do it if there's a central line. There are some nurses who do their own patients' blood draws, especially if there are a lot to do that shift and the PCA on duty can't get to them all. We call the IV nurses in if the PCA can't get the patient on two attempts (or the patient is a known problem with sticks).

[jackson145]

Our ED RN's always do their own draws and on Med/Surg they aren't allowed to do any. The lab spends a lot of time on the floor.

[Tweety, BSN, RN]

If I'm starting and IV and need blood, I might draw the labs. If it's a central line, nurses always draw those labs. If I need labs stat and it's a true emergency I'll draw them rather than wait.

Probably 95% of the time I let the Phlebs do their job because I have plenty to do.

[chocokitten]

P.s.

I work on a telemetry/step-down unit.

also, I have a friend that works at the hospital down the road and the floor RN's are not allowed to labs at all. There is a 24hr on call lab team. He doesn't start IV's either. Their hospital has a very strong union presence and this is one reason why things are like that there.

[nuangel1, BSN, RN]

it depends on where you work.i work in ed i draw all my labs ,put in lines ,draw off (after accessing)mediport ,central line etc .we rarely call phlebotomy.

[rnmi2004]

At my facility, RN's draw stat labs, blood cultures, and central lines. I work noc shift & if my pt's IV outdates the next day, I will restart the IV in the a.m. and draw labs off of that to save a poke.

I'd have to agree that the experienced phlebs are usually better than nurses at lab draws!