Accuracy of drawing blood through infusing intravenous lines

Objective To determine the usefulness of peripheral intravenous lines as an alternative route for obtaining blood samples.Design Quasiexperimental.Setting Wilford Hall Medical Center, a regional level I trauma center and military teaching hospital in San Antonio, Tex.Sample A convenience sample of 64 subjects was enrolled between September 1997 and June 1998.Outcome measures Comparative analysis of a complete blood count and chemistry, using the patients as their own control, on the same Coulter Analyzer and Boelrringer Mannheim/Hitachi 747-200.Results A total of 559 values were evaluated. Only 2.5% of the specimens exceeded the Clinical Laboratory Improvement Act standards. None of the values was clinically significant.Conclusion Intravenous devices, if used properly, are reliable tools for blood specimen collection. They yield accurate analyte levels that may used in the treatment of patients.