You're not going to believe this...

[flutterbee]

After everything I went through yesterday to get to my GP's office to have my blood drawn for another sed rate to check inflammation....

I have to go back again today. Apparently the nurse (new to the office) used the wrong vial for the blood draw and they have to do it again.

<insert hysterical laughter>

Where is a padded cell when you need one?

 

[Shari]

Well that just smells bad!

Sheesh.

 

[Star*]

OW....OW...OW..........

Sorry Wynter - I have extra padding left from making our room - should I send it to you?

Df said a straight jacket would be cheaper - but...I insisted on my own padded room.

Hugs

 

[hearts and roses]

I would just die.

 

[Tiapet]

Oh geesh! Wave the white flag and crawl under the covers. You can't seem to catch a break no how. I'd tell her, no thanks, you can take the sample for me (jokingly) I've had enough.

I'm sorry.

 

[susiestar]

Ok, They can't take blood in the right tube, how are they going to actually get the right results? They won't like it if you ask this. But I might, if I were upset enough.

I am so sorry. Mistakes do happen, but geez, I would think you could get a break.

Hugs,

Susie

 

[flutterbee]

I don't mind blood draws. I barely feel them. It's just after all I went through to get there yesterday and now I have to go back. I'm tired and miserable and really don't want to leave the house.

Sigh....

 

[meowbunny]

I have small veins and it is really painful to draw blood on me. So, I'd be livid if I had to go back. Stupid question -- what difference does it make what vial it's in, anyway? Isn't blood, blood? Ugh!!!!

I'd be charging the doctor for my time and effort. Actually did that once when I had to return because they lost (???) my urine sample. The doctor laughed until he figured out I was dead serious. We compromised -- I wasn't charge for the testing of the blood and urine and he didn't pay my bill. Seemed fair to me. And, yes, he continued seeing me after that.

 

[flutterbee]

That's what I wondered, too, MB...blood is blood. But, I'm thinking she used a smaller tube so she didn't have enough blood. I didn't make it in today. I was too miserable to leave the house. I'll try tomorrow. Worse case scenario they can fax the prescription for the blood draw to the hospital and I can have it done there as it's 1/10 mile from my house. I would prefer to have my doctor's office do it though.

 

[Hound dog]

Heather

Blood is blood, but tubes are not tubes. Take it from a phlebotomist.

Each tube has different chemicals and such in it for the tests they are for. Then there is one that doesn't have anything in it except the blood. Use the wrong tube, the blood is useless. I don't know if you ever noticed when they do your draws but tubes have different colored tops. This tells the phlebotomist which tests this tube is for. PLUS ususally there are written orders that also tell the tube color in order to reduce mistakes.

Sorry you have to go out and have it done again. That stinks.

Hugs

 

[Lothlorien]

The lab routinely screws up the Trileptal draw by putting it in the wrong vial and then not refrigerating it either. CHOP has had many issues with that. Apparently, the lab techs aren't trained on how to do a pediatric blood draw for Trileptal around here. Can you imaging what it's like trying to tell a 7 year old that we have to go back and have another blood draw done??

 

[flutterbee]

Lisa - Thanks for the clarification. I always wondered why there were so many tube choices.

Loth - It's an inconvenience for me, but that's it. If it was routinely happening to my child, heads would be rolling.

 

[Lothlorien]

Fortunately, it only happened once. It will NEVER happen again. I will be sure that they know better. However, the neurologist told me that she had SEVERAL incidents over the same exact issue over a various month period. She and the staff wrote letters to this particular lab and it happened to Missy after. CHOP made a big stink with this particular Lab after that. It WON'T happen again.

 

[Hound dog]

Heather Loth

I don't know how doctor offices or such do it. But I do know that mixing up tubes so that a patient has to be redrawn at the hospital can cost you your job. And when you think about it, it make sense.

We were trained to check, double check, and then check again. If in doubt, check AGAIN and call the doctor for varification. For ER patients at the hospital I trained at, we took blood and used ALL tubes automatically. (hospital policy) If doctor ordered specific tests, we filled additional tubes for those tests. That way there were "back up" tubes available to cover for any human error. But God help the person who made the error. I saw two phlebotomists fired during my training for that.

Hugs

 

[Sue C]

Heather,

I once had a blood test done and the nurse called a week later to say the results were normal. I said oh, the xxxxx test results are normal? She said, "What? We didn't test for that. We tested for yyyyy. I guess they couldn't read the prescription right." HUH?! So I had to go back.

Just make sure they do not charge you for another blood test.

Sorry you have to go back again.
Sue

 

[flutterbee]

Many years ago when I was young and didn't question doctors, I was getting kidney infections all the time. Not bladder infections; kidney infections. I went to the doctor - again - and he ordered a test. I go through the fasting and whatever else is involved and the office calls a few days later to tell me that the test was normal and the doctor would call me a prescription for the 'burning in my stomach.' To which I asked, 'what burning in my stomach.' Well, the burning in your stomach you complained to the doctor about. Me: I've never complained of burning in my stomach and that's probably because I've never HAD burning in my stomach.

Yep. They ordered the wrong test based on complaints I never had. Of course, I should have known better. This was the same practice that tried to tell me when I was in the ER it was only a bladder infection not a kidney infection. They were emphatic about it. Until I asked them if the hospital routinely tries to admit people with only a bladder infection.

This isn't a po-dunk practice. It's the largest practice in the county.

It was an urgent care doctor that finally ordered the right tests for me.

And people wonder why I don't trust doctors. Pfft.

 

[totoro]

Lame.... DO you have to pay for it again??? Or I guess are you charged through your insurance again?
I don't mind the blood draw but I don't like getting dragged out when i don't feel good, and it sure sounds like you are not feeling good... they should have to come to you... poor thing.