Laboratory Services and Waived Testing
Requires the Agency to hold a CLIA certificate of waiver before any staff member performs a laboratory test, limits testing to waived tests done exactly as the manufacturer directs, sets out how staff help patients test themselves with their own devices, and covers specimen collection, referral laboratories, and reporting results to the practitioner.
About this policy
- Policy number
- TX-HH-CS-04
- Version
- 1.0
- Main rule
- 26 TAC §558.284
- Library
- Texas home health · 56 policies
- Category
- Service delivery
- Sections
- 17
In short
- Do not do any lab test, such as a finger-stick glucose, unless the Agency holds a current CLIA certificate and you have been trained on that device.
- Follow the manufacturer’s instructions exactly. Do not use expired or badly stored strips.
- If the patient tests with his or her own meter, the patient does the test. Write the result down as patient-performed.
- Use a new lancet every time, put it straight into a sharps container, and clean shared meters after every patient.
- Report any result outside the ordered range to the practitioner and your supervisor the same day.
What's inside
17 sections. The full text comes with the One-time Policy Pack.
- Terms of Reference
- 1. Purpose
- 2. Scope
- 3. Definitions
- 4. Policy Statement (26 TAC §558.284)
- 5. CLIA Certificate
- 6. Helping a Patient Test Himself or Herself
- 7. Performing Waived Tests
- 8. Collecting Specimens for a Referral Laboratory
- 9. Recording and Reporting Results
- 10. Responsibilities
- 11. Records and Compliance Monitoring
- 12. Staff Training
- 13. References
- 14. Related Policies and Forms
- 15. Approval
- 16. Revision History
An inspector may ask
- Do your nurses check blood glucose or PT/INR on patients? Show me your CLIA certificate and when it expires.
- Which tests are on your certificate, and where are the manufacturer’s instructions for each device?
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