Question

Jim is training in the laboratory. All the staff has gone to lunch when a stat lab sample is brought in for testing a hemoglobin level. Jim is not familiar with the Hemocue machine. The doctor is calling and he is feeling pressured to run the specimen even though he does not know if controls have been run or how to run the machine. He runs the sample and gets a hemoglobin result of 8g/dl. He gives the results to the physician. Is this an abnormal result? Should Jim give the results to the physician? What should have Jim done in this circumstance? Identify the ethical issue and demonstrate the appropriate response by stating how Jim should have responded to the physician?

Answer 1

Answer: The result 8g/dL is abnormal result as it means the hemoglobin level is very low in the patient. The normal range of hemoglobin in a healthy person is 13.5g/dL to 15.7g/dL.

Although Jim is a trainee, he shouldn't act like this, he should inform the physician about his problem and knowledge. This is because the results are based on the patient's symptoms and diseases. If the laboratory results themselves are not accurate or the test have been performed by the inexperience person then it is legally as well as ethically wrong.

Jim should inform the physician and they can wait for the technical person to perform this test.