Point of care testing

[S@xplayer]

What do you use in the OR for point of care testing? Our group has been talking with pathology because an abg, lytes and h/h is taking 45 min to report which is virtually useless.

The path dept tells us that they have (what appears to be antiquated) a system that we (our group) can train on 10 hrs a year annually and 1 hr a month on top of that for each user. This would allow us intra operative point if care testing. Sounds like bs to me.


What other alternatives are there that financially would not be hindering to purchase for our group if we need this testing about weekly? I know of I-stat which we used in residency. Others?

Thanks.

---

Members don't see this ad.

 

[nimbus]

This.

Training is minimal and one time.

2min for abg/lytes/hct.

Used in our ORs many times every day.

Why would your group have to purchase it? Every full service hospital needs one. It is a patient safety issue.

 

[Noyac]

We got the iSTAT a couple of years ago and personally I think it is crap. H/H is routinely low. But I still use it to help guide my care to a degree. It is fast and simple. If things look bad, I send a sample to lab before acting on anything usually.

 

[pgg]

I used iStats in residency and in 5 or 6 hospitals since. I've always been sort of dissatisfied with them. When they're used often and calibrated and PM'd daily they seem to put out pretty accurate numbers. When they sit and don't get used much they are problematic. I don't like the little cartridges that have to exactly filled (over or under fill wastes time and a cartridge).

My biggest frustration with the iStats was always doing trauma cases. If the room was over 80 or 90 degrees, as it always was, the iStat would overheat and not work. We had to store the "point-of-care" device outside the OR to keep it cool.

Have never used the Gem 4000 pictured above, but it can't possibly be more frustrating than an iStat.

 

[S@xplayer]

The Gem system is the one our path dept has for us to use. They say we need all this excessive time for training and continued education etc for EACH user as I posted above.

sadly it looks like the system is decent. Need a way around the paperwork.

 

[urge]

We got the Gem 3000. The hospital needs to document periodic training but 10hrs initial and 1hr/mo is excessive.

I think you need a pathologist who doesn't want to screw you over more than a specific machine.

 

[okayplayer]

I like sending it off and not messing around with the machine. No thanks. Takes 5 min for our lab/RT to run it.

 

[urge]

According to this website Mass General only requires once a year competency checks.

http://www.massgeneral.org/pathology/assets/poct/gem3500competencydocumentltr4103.pdf

 

[urge]

You could try contacting the Gem company to ask about recommended competency training for occasional users. They might say something more amenable than what your pathologist is saying and you could present that to the higher ups of the hospital in order to circumvent your pathologist.

http://www.instrumentationlaboratory.com/

 

[IlDestriero]

We require an annual POC practical competency. It takes less than 5 min. We use the istat, hemocue, and a glucometer.
My last 2 jobs required an annual 10-15 min refresher lecture and a quick practical test.
I suspect the pathologist might need that kind of training to run his equipment and certifiy it, etc. but modern POC testing certainly does not for the end users. Suggesting it does is retar...
wait... can't use that word anymore...
...Suggesting it does is consistent with the pathologist having profound cognitive deficits.