Before an arterial blood gas (ABG) value is obtained, the patient's clotting parameters should be evaluated because:

Question

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Before arterial puncture, the clinician may find it helpful to review the patient's chart for clinical laboratory studies that reflect the patient's blood clotting ability (see Chapter 8). Abnormalities such as low platelet count or increased bleeding time may indicate that postpuncture bleeding will pose a problem. In such cases, the puncture site should be pressurized longer than usual to prevent hemorrhage.

Before an Arterial Blood Gas (ABG) Value Is Obtained, the Patient's