UT-Harris County Psychiatric Center

Nursing Procedures

Lab Corp Services

Laboratory

Harris County Psychiatric Center: Office Administration

Guidelines have been provided for coordinating laboratory services to meet patient care needs

lab corp services, lab compendium, add-on test, lab report

The University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston

Date of Last Review: 5/19/08
SME: Associate Director of Nursing

Guidelines have been provided for coordinating laboratory services to meet patient care needs.

Procedure:

Refer to lab compendium for collection and testing procedures. Staff are responsible for entering laboratory orders into the computer.

Communication concerning lab procedures may be referred to Nursing Support Personnel and/or directly to Lab Corp designated contact personnel. Scheduled lab courier pick-up times are as follows:

Mon-Fri……………………8:00 A.M. and 8:00 P.M. Lab Corp

Sat…………………………9:00 A.M. and 4:00 P.M. (courier service)

Sun…………………..…….8:30 A.M. only (courier service)

The lab courier will pick up specimens from the UTHCPC lab area.

Stat Labs

When units receive a physician's order for stat laboratory service, the nurse shall notify the Nursing Support staff (X7854) during normal working hours (M-F, 6:00 A.M.-2:30 P.M.) and the Nursing Supervisor on weekends/holidays and after 2:30 P.M. The Nursing Support staff or the Nursing Supervisor shall contact Lab Corp requesting Stat Service. Lab Corp shall call phone results back to the unit.

Priority Testing

Priority testing is defined as a select group of tests which will be picked up from UTHCPC at 8:00 A.M., Monday-Friday and the results will be returned to UTHCPC by noon. The tests are as follows:

· VPA

· Lithium

· Dilantin

· Tegretol

· Pregnancy...Urine/Serum

· Drug Screen

· UA

Lab Corp is responsible for the provision of laboratory supplies. [A par level system has been established to deliver weekly quantities to UTHCPC Lab Area.] The unit staff will pick up supplies from the lab area. UTHCPC staff meets regularly with Lab Corp personnel regarding fulfillment of the contractual agreement.

Add-On Test

To add on a test to a previously collected specimen check the physician's order for the requested blood test to add on.

The unit staff shall contact Lab Corp alerting them of an add-on test. Lab Corp will send a Add-On to be signed by UTHCPC staff and fax back to Lab Corp to precess specimin. The order is entered into the computer. Fax a copy of add-on to Lab Corp.

Lab Report Distribution

Lab reports are transmitted to UTHCPC online and via printer. The lab reports are disseminated as follows: 1) Original copy to chart.

If the patient has been discharged, the original is sent to Health Information Management to be placed in the chart. Nursing support personnel takes the record to the unit for the Attending Physician to acknowledge post-discharge labs. The record is then returned to Health Information Management.

Related JCAHO Section(s):