Avoiding Critical Errors in Blood Gas Testing

Avoiding preanalytical errors in blood gas testing should ensure that healthcare providers receive information on the spot. This would help avoid critical errors in blood gas testing.

The “avoid preanalytical errors” app from Radiometer Medical (Copenhagen, Denmark) focuses on the most typical preanalytical errors in blood gas testing and what operators can do to avoid them. The app is available for iPhone, Windows Phone, and Android and includes tips on how to avoid errors, troubleshooting and a skill test. The troubleshooting section is a helpful tool when you are experiencing difficulties evaluating if measured results reflect patient status or if a preanalytical error may have occurred. A handbook explains how to avoid errors, with video demonstrations of the correct procedure for performing an arterial puncture, arterial line, or capillary sampling. To view the app content please see Related Links below.

Ana-Maria Simundic, PhD, assistant professor, clinical chemistry specialist and president of the Croatian Society for Medical Biochemistry and Laboratory Medicine, commented: “Up to 75% of all testing errors occur in the preanalytical phase. The variation in test results can be detrimental to the patients, as clinicians base the treatment strategies on the test results. The best way to ensure patient safety–and save time and money–is to understand the challenges of preanalytical variables, helping to proactively reduce some of the evitable errors by doing blood gas testing correctly the first time.”

Related Links:
Radiometer Medical
View Radiometer app content