An outpatient scheduled for an arterial blood sample enters the ...

[vicotolentino]

An outpatient scheduled for an arterial blood sample enters the pulmonary lab 20 min late and out of breath, having run up four flights of stairs. What should you do?
 
  a. Postpone the blood sample until tomor-row.
  b. Scold the patient for being so late.
  c. Wait 5 min before taking the sample.
  d. Scold the patient for using the stairs.

Question 2

You determine that a blood gas sample that requires analysis has been sitting in ice slush for 90 min. What should you do?
 
  a. Go ahead and analyze the sample (because it was on ice).
  b. Warm the sample to room temperature before analysis.
  c. Readjust the blood gas analyzer tempera-ture to 0 C.
  d. Discard the sample and notify the appro-priate clinician.

[matt]

Answer to Question 1

ANS: C
Patients with healthy lungs achieve a steady state in only 5 min after changes, whereas those with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease may require as long as 20 to 30 min.

Answer to Question 2

ANS: D
Even chilled samples should be discarded if they are not analyzed within 60 min.

[vicotolentino]

Thanks for the timely response, appreciate it

[sarah_brady415]

Great answer, keep it coming