Bone Marrow Aspiration: A Nursing Procedure?
Too much to do already?
A few months ago, we asked on our Facebook page whether nurses would ever be interested in adding a new “medical” skill, such as lumbar puncture, to their practice.
Common responses to this question were along the lines of “Are you crazy? I have too much to do already!” But what if you used a new set of skills as part of a small team of nurse “proceduralists” in a nurse-led clinic, and received excellent training and ongoing support?
One team’s expertise.
In “Bone Marrow Aspiration and Biopsy Performed by RNs: A Review of Clinical Practice” in the September issue of AJN, Eryn Draganski and colleagues share the details of their hospital’s longtime success in using a team of specially trained nurses to perform bone marrow aspiration and biopsies. In addition to reducing costs and allowing for more timely scheduling, this practice has also provided patients with a team of nurses whose extensive experience in the procedure ensured excellent outcomes and patient support.
“…using a small team of nursing proceduralists… provides a unique opportunity to improve consistency in practice, which may result in better quality control and, ultimately, boost patient safety.”
Nursing scope of practice.
Nurse practice acts in many states don’t specifically address whether or not this […]