Dear Fiona
On the subject of sample type, arterial specimens give reliable answers with
MediSense strips. Venous specimens give results that are about 7% higher.
You can correct for this on PCx meters with a venous blood setting, but not
on QID meters. We emphasise this point in training. In our areas with
blood gas analysers they often take the blood to the blood gas analyser and
use the meter there. It's not a problem if they use arterial blood, but is
a problem if you want the patient ID entered into the glucose meter because
you want them to scan in the patient ID from a barcoded wristband, for which
they need to take the meter to the patient. We think that having copies of
the wristband next to the blood gas analyser to scan is definitely an unsafe
practice. So they take the meter to the bedside, scan the wristband, take
the arterial specimen from the line, start the glucose test and take the
meter and syringe to the blood gas analyser.
Richard Taylor
John Radcliffe Hospital
Oxford
> ----------
> From: Fiona Bethell
> Reply To: ACB Point of Care Testing List
> Sent: Friday, June 28, 2002 8:49 AM
> To: [log in to unmask]
> Subject: Re: Password abuse
>
> We do place notices up at each gas analyser warning of disciplinary action
> and Prof. Fraser is actually covering NPT issues/gas analysers this
> morning
> at the Grand Round - I only hope the Consultants don't take the - "it's a
> nursing staff issue" attitude.
>
> Re glucose meter QC solutions - I've been told that patients can get free
> QC
> stuff if they phone the company helpline - in our case Medisense -and tell
> the operator they don't think the meter is working properly.
>
> On another note, whilst checking the gas analyser in POCCU I observed an
> anaesthetist applying arterial blood to a strip in the Precision plus
> meter
> - I admit I have no idea whether glucose should be reliable in this sample
> except that the concentration would be higher than in a capillary sample.
> The pO2 "interference" is said to be minimal in this Medisense meter but
> should I have been more forceful with this user rather than suggesting he
> really should take the meter to the patient?
>
>
> Dr Fiona Ivison
> Dept. of Clinical Chemistry
> Royal Liverpool University Hospital
> Mount Vernon St
> Liverpool
> L7 8XP
>
> 0151 706 4287
>
>
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