![]() ![]() If a provider is not available to perform the arterial stick, treatment could be delayed. Some hospitals allow specially trained nurses or phlebotomists to perform this skill but only after an intense training program. The main issue is if the patient does not have a functioning arterial line, a frontline clinician has to draw the arterial sample. While arterial samples are the best for diagnostic reasons, they do provide some challenges for nurses and providers. Most ICUs have one on the unit for a quick turnaround. Once the blood is obtained, it is either sent to the hospital’s central lab for analysis or tested by the respiratory therapist on the unit’s blood gas analyzer. If the patient already has a pre-existing arterial line, this can be used to obtain the sample. However, the femoral artery and brachial artery can be used if necessary. The radial artery on the wrist is most commonly used to obtain the sample. Blood can be drawn via an arterial stick from the wrist, groin, or above the elbow. An Arterial Blood Gas requires the nurse to collect a small sample of blood - generally, a full 1 ml³ is preferred. ![]()
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