I just got a question from my local PD about the THP-51 form used for mandatory blood draws. You can see the form here: http://www.tdcaa.com/files/page/Revised%20THP-51%20Form%206%20_9-9-09_%20_2_.pdf
The next-to-last signature blank is to be filled with "Name of Person Form Delivered To". Directly below that signature blank is one for "Name and Occupation of Person Taking Specimen".

Are both of these blanks to be filled in with the same person's name? If not, then who signs the first one?

My feeling is that both blanks should have the same person's name, but perhaps that the officer fills in the first one before giving the form to the doctor/nurse/phlebotomist, and then that person signs the bottom line. Thoughts?

I would expect that the facility where the blood is drawn will determine one or two names.

In a prior life I worked as a paramedic. When arriving with a patient, we would give a verbal report to triage nurse, but all written reports, consents to treat, and other documentation would go to an administrative clerk. If you handed anything to a nurse, or worse a doctor, that would be the last time it was ever seen.

That was in a much larger jurisdiction than I am in now. Our local hospital, uninjured suspects are take to the "Lab" for the draws and not the ER. Only one person works there at a time so their name would go in both places. If they are injured and go to the ER, it might vary. Jails with nurses or a phlebotomist, I am sure have a variety of procedures to document the basis for the draw.

At least that's my thoughts!

[This message was edited by John Greenwood on 06-28-10 at .]

[This message was edited by John Greenwood on 06-28-10 at .]

I checked with our Highway Patrol Division, and am posting their reply below.

"According to the field, in most stations, the "Name of Person Form Delivered To" and the "Name and Occupation of Person Taking Specimen" is the same. However, in larger metropolitan areas/larger hospitals, the officer delivers the form to one person such as the charge nurse, and the person taking the blood specimen is the phlebotomist. In those instances, the names on each line will be different.

So the intent is to accurately reflect who the order is given to, and who actually draws the blood in the event that it is not the same person."

Hope this answers your question.

Janette A

thanks a bunch for the help!