Routine blood test ordering for patients in intensive care

Area of Science:

• Critical Care Medicine
• Clinical Pathology
• Healthcare Management

Background:

• Intensive care units (ICUs) routinely perform numerous blood tests for patient monitoring.
• Variability in routine blood testing practices exists across different ICUs.
• Understanding current practices is essential for optimizing resource utilization and patient care.

Purpose of the Study:

• To survey current practices of routine blood testing in Australian and New Zealand ICUs.
• To identify the most frequently ordered blood tests in the ICU setting.
• To explore the influence of written guidelines on the frequency of routine blood testing.

Main Methods:

• A survey was distributed to ICUs across Australia and New Zealand.
• Ninety-six ICUs completed the survey, providing data on their routine blood testing protocols.
• Data analysis focused on identifying common tests and the correlation with written guidelines.

Main Results:

• Blood electrolytes, liver function tests, arterial blood gases, and full blood counts were the most frequently ordered tests.
• 12.6% of surveyed ICUs did not practice routine blood testing.
• The presence or absence of written guidelines did not significantly influence the frequency of commonly performed tests.

Conclusions:

• Routine blood testing protocols vary significantly among ICUs.
• Clinical and operational factors unique to each ICU appear to be primary drivers of blood test frequency, rather than written guidelines.
• Further research into site-specific factors influencing ICU blood testing is warranted.