Notes:

If not analyzed within 30 minutes of draw time, specimen must be tightly capped and transported on ice.  Blood gas specimens are stable for 1 hour on ice.  All specimens must have air bubbles expelled and the syringe capped.

Effective April 1, 2014, specimens for Blood Gas Panels and O2 Saturation must be delivered to the lab by hand. The laboratory will no longer accept specimens for  Blood Gas and O2 Saturation testing transported by the pneumatic tube system. Pneumatic tube transport vigorously agitates the sample which can markedly increase pO2.  It's strongly encouraged to use EPOC analyzers to perform blood gases as point-of-care tests to eliminate errors in measurement attributable to pneumatic tube transport and to obtain the results of these often critically important tests right away. EPOC analyzers are available in all critical care units. Respiratory therapists have access to the EPOC analyzers and can perform these tests per request  This change in policy was approved by the Clinical Laboratory Advisory Committee.