I have a question that no one at my facility seems be able to answer. What is the limit to the number of attempts a phlebotomist should make at collecting blood from a patient before asking for a "doctor draw"?

There is no hard-and-fast rule about how many times a phlebotomist should attempt to draw a patient's blood before giving up and asking for help. Most institutions have established internal limits for the number of acceptable attempts, often three or fewer. In setting that limit, the institution must take into account patient comfort, safety and convenience, and the limit should also reflect the needs and concerns of physicians caring for the patient. Giving up too soon and too often will frustrate both patients and doctors and will earn the laboratory a reputation for bad service. Trying too often despite patient discomfort is just as bad. Persisting in an attempt to draw blood after a patient (or, in the case of children, a parent) has requested that the phlebotomist stop virtually guarantees a complaint and might...