Testing for blood

Nurses General Nursing

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In an emesis. Can you use a hemmacult test? This is LTC and that is all we have on hand, beside the obvious apperance of the emesis. Is it accurate for vomit?

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Specializes in ICU, CCU, Trauma, neuro, Geriatrics.

If the emesis is coffee ground or with frank blood I document that if I don't have the proper items to test with. I would also of course notify the attending as to this finding. I dont know if you can test for vomit blood with the fecal test kit. I would think that the pH would alter the results. I guess I have to look into this further.

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Specializes in med/surg, telemetry, IV therapy, mgmt.

Yes, you can hemoccult emesis. It is appropriate and a smart thing to do. Chart the results whether positive or negative. If you know the patient had something (such as raw meat) to eat that would give a positive result to the test you should include that in your charting.

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Specializes in ER, NICU, NSY and some other stuff.

Under CLIA regs you cannot do this. You are supposed to do a gastrocult.

In the real world it is often done with what I believe are reliable results.

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What is CILA?

Okay I found it via google. So there is a gastroccult test? Is it like the hemaccult for stool?

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Specializes in ER, NICU, NSY and some other stuff.

It is to specifically test for blood in gastric secretions. It also has a window to test for stomach ph.

http://www.beckman.com/products/RapidTestKits/gastroccult.asp

CLIA clinical lab improvment amendments. This is a part of the HHS. These regulations were enacted about 15 years ago to require certification for labs to protect the quality of testing.

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