Interview question: Hb7.1 or Hb 6.9

[Yolandalau 0]

Dear all,

I have got an interview question:  I repeated a CBC and got two results of Hb 7.1 and Hb 6.9, which one should I report? Hb7.0 is our critical value which mean if below 7.0 we need to call the ward.

Thanks so much!

Regards,

Yolanda

[Malcolm Needs ★ 4,081]

It very much depends on what tolerance you have on your machines, but I would be amazed if it was that close, and did not cross your measurement of uncertainty.  I would have telephoned the ward anyway.

[galvania 728]

Maybe do it a third time.....

[Malcolm Needs ★ 4,081]

Ah, you mean do it again, like the EU referendum in the UK, until you get the answer you want!!!!!!!

That comment was supposed to be tongue in cheek, rather than political, before anyone throws their toys out of the pram.

Edited July 8 by Malcolm Needs

[SMILLER 694]

Ya, anyway Yolanda, I would just report the critical value.

Scott

[dothandar 41]

On 6/29/2018 at 8:20 PM, Yolandalau said:

Dear all,

I have got an interview question:  I repeated a CBC and got two results of Hb 7.1 and Hb 6.9, which one should I report? Hb7.0 is our critical value which mean if below 7.0 we need to call the ward.

Thanks so much!

Regards,

Yolanda

are you allow to average it? 

[SMILLER 694]

Sure why not.  The difference between 6.0, 7.0 and 7.1 is only a variance of about 4% so as far as precision, the three results are pretty much the same clinically.  Practically, that is a really low Hgb either way. 

However, there is the question of the critical (or near-critical) value to report.  My personal preference would be to report (and call) the lower critical value just to make sure someone knows about it right away.

Scott

[R1R2 269]

Which one will you report in the EMR?  A good response to your interviewer would be that you would consult the policy.