Critical Values

Critical values are those results that indicate a high risk of morbidity or mortality in the absence of rapid intervention to treat the abnormal value or its underlying cause.

It is the policy of the laboratory to notify the ordering location of any laboratory results which are so far from the reference range that they indicate a potentially dangerous condition requiring immediate attention by the clinician. The ordering locations are notified even to those areas with computer printers or terminals. Critical Laboratory results are always reported by telephone. In accordance with The Joint Commission (TJC) requirements, it is required that we request and receive a read-back of results to ensure that the results were properly noted by the recipient.

ANALYTE	CRITICAL VALUES
Absolute Neutrophil (non-oncology)	<0 .5="" mcl="" td="" thou="">
Bilirubin, newborn (under 30 days old)	>12.0 mg/dL
Blood Gases, Adult pH pCO2 pO2	<7 .20="" or="">7.58 <9 or="">65 mmHg <40 li="" mmhg="">
Blood Gases, Newborn (under 30 days old) pH pCO2 pO2	<7 .25="" or="">7.50 <30 or="">50 mmHg <50 or="">90 mmHg
Calcium, ionized	<0 .78="" or="">1.58 mmol/L
Calcium, total	<6 .0="" or="">13.0 mg/dL
Carbon Dioxide	<10 or="">40 meq/L
Carbon Monoxide	>20%
Fibrinogen	<100 dl="" mg="" td="">
Glucose Newborn (under 30 days old) Adult	<40 or="">200 mg/dL <45 or="">500 mg/dL
Glucose, CSF	<20 dl="" mg="" td="">
Glucose, POCT Newborn (under 30 days old) Adult	<50 or="">200 mg/dL <50 or="">500 mg/dL
Hematocrit	<20 td="">
Hemoglobin by oximetry Newborn (under 30 days old) Adult	<8 .1="" dl="" g="" nbsp="" or="">21.1 g/dL <6 .0="" dl="" g="" li="">
Heparin Induced Platelet Antibodies	Positive
Lead	≥70 mcg/dL
Magnesium	<1 .2="" or="">4.7 mg/dL
Methemoglobin	>30.0 %
Osmolality	<250 or="">350 mOsm/kg
Partial thromboplastin time	>120 sec
Phosphate	<1 .0="" dl="" mg="" td="">
Platelet Count Pediatric Range Infants (NICU only) Adults (non-Oncology)	<60 li="" mcl="" thou=""> <60 li="" mcl="" thou=""> <20 li="" mcl="" thou="">
Potassium	<2 .5="" or="">6.0 meq/L
Prothrombin Time	INR >5
Sodium	<120 or="">160 meq/L
Sodium, CSF	<120 or="">160 meq/L
T4 Newborns (under 30 days old) Adult	<3 .5="" or="">18.0 mcg/dL >18.0 mcg/dL
Troponin I	≥0.40 ng/mL (first critical value per 24 hour period for each patient)