title: Analysis of critical laboratory value nurse-to-physician follow-up calls at a community hospital.
abstract: The reporting and treatment of critical laboratory values are vital to the provision of quality patient care. The purpose of this study was to identify the percentage of critical laboratory values not being reported by the nurse to the physician or properly documented in a small community hospital. Results showed that 77% of critical laboratory values reported were not properly documented as communicated to the physician regardless of hospital unit, laboratory specialty, or test.
authors.affiliation: Buchanan County Health Center, Independence, Iowa 50644, USA. rgoldenstein@bchealth.info
authors.forename: Rachel
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Goldenstein
authors.forename: Donna
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Prosser
authors.forename: Lucille
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Travis
mesh_terms: D002984:Clinical Laboratory Information Systems; D019411:Clinical Laboratory Techniques; D004282:Documentation; D006764:Hospitals, Community; D006801:Humans; D033183:Interdisciplinary Communication; D010347:Patient Care Planning; D019555:Physician-Nurse Relations; D011785:Quality Assurance, Health Care; D012189:Retrospective Studies