EVIDENCE BASED PRACTICE - CLINICIAN USE AND ATTITUDES TO NEAR PATIENTTESTING IN HOSPITALS

Aim-To survey the use made of laboratory services for urgent tests and clinicians' attitudes to near patient testing. Methods-A questionnair e was sent to clinicians working in acute hospitals within Trent and N orth West Thames Regions. Results-197 replies were received. Most dema nd came from intensive care units. Overall, clinicians requested a med ian of six urgent tests a day. Blood glucose and a dip stick urine tes ting were the most commonly performed bedside tests, but 41% of clinic ians did not use ward testing. The most frequently cited indication fo r bedside testing was the need for speed. 85% of clinicians trusted re sults obtained in their central hospital laboratory, but there was an almost equal division between those who did (34%) and those who did no t (38%) trust the results from near patient testing. A slightly larger proportion indicated they would accept responsibility (44%) for resul ts obtained on the ward than would not (35%). Most staff indicated tha t better transport to the laboratory would remove the need for near pa tient testing. Conclusions-Clinicians have demonstrated an apparent ne ed for rapid response testing but there is a strong preference for rap id transport systems and central laboratory analysis rather than bedsi de testing as a solution to this problem. There is a need to investiga te the clinical and cost-effectiveness of patient testing as a solutio n to response testing.