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Routine blood test ordering for patients in intensive care

A Flabouris1, G Bishop, L Williams

  • 1Department of Critical Care, Liverpool Hospital, Sydney, New South Wales.

Anaesthesia and Intensive Care
|November 30, 2000
PubMed

Insights

Routine blood testing in intensive care units (ICUs) varies, with electrolytes and blood counts most common. Guidelines did not affect test frequency, suggesting local factors are key for critical care blood work.

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.

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