Emergency Department charge nurses receive a lot of phone calls that could be avoided, due to the current Blood Glucose Critical Value being set at 400.
In reviewing where other Oregon hospitals set their blood glucose critical value, we recognized that 500 was acceptable. Also, this wouldn’t change the care pathway physicians use to treat their patients.
After reviewing the recommendation to adjust the Blood Glucose Critical Value to 500 with various Salem Health physician committees and Emergency Department physicians, the recommendation has been approved.
The Laboratory policy and Critical Value List have been updated to reflect the Blood Glucose Critical Value change from 400 to 500. The change began Nov. 1, 2017.