Limit to # of vials of blood drawn??

Does anyone know if there is a limit to the amount of blood or # of vials that can be taken from a patient?? I work in home care and it is not uncommon to have several lab tests ordered, however, a pt i am seeing tomorrow has 13 labs ordered....i have never had that many to take from a single pt. I don't know how many different tests can be taken from a large vial as i am used to always using the small ones for cbcs, cmp, etc. Anyone have any advice? Thanks
What labs exactly are ordered? That will tell u what tubes you need?

Many labs can be tested from one tube..so 13 labs does not equate to 13 tubes. But it is a good question. Ours print out and combine tests with tubes, so I really can't help with how many you will end up with. It could be only 4 or so.

Labs arePTHFBSCalcium levelCBCDCMPFolateB1225 Hydroxy Vit DProtimePSAHemoglobinHematacritBNPThanks for your responses. Good thing i picked up some large gold vials today!! All the other ones i have are the small ones. The only ones not listed on my lab sheet are the 25 hydroxy vit d, b12, and folate so i will have to call the lab to find out what color top to use, i am not familiar with drawing those ones.

It really just depends on your lab. I would call the lab where the specimens are sent and check with them. Typically the majority of your chemistries can be run off of one tube, your hematology studies generally off of one or two tubes, your coags off one blue top, etc. You'd need to check with the lab as they know their equipment.

Quote from meandragonbrettIt really just depends on your lab. I would call the lab where the specimens are sent and check with them. Typically the majority of your chemistries can be run off of one tube, your hematology studies generally off of one or two tubes, your coags off one blue top, etc. You'd need to check with the lab as they know their equipment.

I recently had blood work done and they took 11 vials so if there is a limit it must be quite high!

No, there is no limit to the number of tubes drawn, though you want to limit them to just the essential ones. Especially is the pt is anemic or cannot easily be transfused.As a research onco nurse, I have done 20-30 tubes (many research tubes are large - 10cc tubes) off a pt at a time.Having said that, many the tests listed repeat themselves. The Hct and Hgb are part of the CBCD. And BS is part of the CMP, w/ Calcium off the same tube.You need to contact the lab running them and find out what can be combined. Usually standard coags can be all run off one blue top, and CBCD/Hct/Hgb off one purple top. But some of the others may be send outs and require a separate tube.

Have never heard of an adult draw limit but we were told in phlebotomy training that on infants drawing more than 10% of blood volume a day could cause the pt to go into shock so they always warned us to check charts on peds pts to see what labs had been drawn in a day before doing any new lab draws...

I was a phleb before I was a nurse, and near as I can tell, it looks like 4-5 tubes. As for a limit, there's none that I know of. I've drawn as many as 27 on one patient when I was a phleb. Another phleb that I worked with at the time drew something like 32.

Labs arePTHFBSCalcium levelCBCDCMPFolateB1225 Hydroxy Vit DProtimePSAHemoglobinHematacritBNPThe CBC w/diff includes the Hemoglobin and Hematacrit so that is 1 small lavender tube, draw a second small lavender tube for the BNP as 6cc is required for that test alone. The Protime will be drawn in a small light blue tubeThe CMP is drawn in a Red Tiger top tube so is the FBS, Calcium, PSA, 25 Hydroxy Vit D, B12, Folate, and PTH but you don't want to draw for more than 3 tests in each Red Tiger top tube so I would say draw:2 small lavender tubes1 small light blue tube3 Red Tiger Top Tubes or 4 if the patient doesn't object. Sometimes the 25 Hydroxy Vit D is sent out and an extra Red Tiger Top tube is appreciated.

Another thought: You need to ask your agency for a policy about what goes in what tube. Many years ago my agency gave us this thick pocket size book with all the info in it. I kept it for years and even when I went to hospital Nursing I'd have it with me for my own reference.We also had a color chart at the Nursing station that was sort of like this one:http://labmed.ucsf.edu/sfghlab/test/...aw%20Chart.pdf

of course the lab would like to draw as much blood as they think they need, but given that there is a real syndrome of iatrogenic anemia, the nurse would be wise to ascertain if pedi tubes can be drawn as often as possible on pt.s who need frequent sticks.