1. University Hospital will cooperate with local law enforcement officers who request blood samples for the purpose of determining alcohol or controlled substances content. A blood alcohol shall never be drawn over the objection of the patient. Any person who is dead, unconscious or who is otherwise in a condition rendering him incapable of refusal, shall be deemed not to have withdrawn consent. Refer to ED Policy G24: Toxicology
2. If the patient is conscious, his signature should be obtained on the Blood Alcohol Consent Form and this signature should be witnessed by two employees. The officer requesting the blood sample will sign under "Police Officer Making Request."
3. If the patient is a minor, the consent must be signed by a parent or guardian.
4. If the patient is unconscious, consent is inferred (Act 549 of 1983), and the blood will be drawn upon the request of the police officer.

Oral consent may be obtained if the patient is too ill to sign and must be so noted and witnessed on the consent form. The blood is not to be drawn over the protest of the patient.

The blood will be drawn in the presence of the requesting officer. Use a betadine prep, not alcohol, and put 5cc of blood in a gray-topped tube.

Label the blood with the patient's last name, date, time and RN's initials, handing the blood tube directly to the requesting officer.

Upon receipt of the blood, the requesting officer will initial the blood tube, verifying patient name, date and time, and complete the section of the consent form pertaining to observation of phlebotomy and receipt of the blood sample. This section should be witnessed by the nurse.

If a law enforcement officer requests a test and the patient consents, the results may be released to the police.

If blood is obtained from implied consent as outlined in number 4 above the patient must provide consent for release of the result to law enforcement..

 

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