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Updated: Jul 26, 2025
Expired CO2 Measurement in Intubated or Spontaneously Breathing Patients from the Emergency Department
Published on: January 29, 2011
Choosing Wisely audit: Blood gas ordering in the emergency department
Evan Kumarakurusingham1, Fahad Yousif1
1Emergency Department, The Royal Melbourne Hospital, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia.
Objective:
Our aim was to reduce unnecessary blood gases to improve patient flow, reduce false positives and reduce unnecessary treatments.
Methods:
This was a retrospective, single-centre audit of 100 patients in June 2022.
Results:
There were approximately 45 blood gases per 100 ED presentations. Following education and poster reminders, a re-audit was undertaken in October 2022, resulting in a reduction of 33% of blood gases ordered.
Conclusion:
We have found that many blood gases are ordered for patients who are not critically unwell, and whose disposition was not affected by their result.
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