In my hospital's ED department we are not allowed to do LPs. This is a rule set by the ED consultants and last week involved an argument with our AMU consultants and was escalated up to the chief medical officer. Apparently the reason is that ED is not a sterile environment and their nurses are not trained to look after patients who have had an LP. Of course chest drains however are completely fine which seems much more difficult for nurses to manage, and LPs get done on every ward in the hospital where the environment is not sterile. Ironically ED SpRs are required to get LPs signed off despite the procedure being banned in ED.
Am I going mad? This seems to be a frankly dangerous and ridiculous rule which delays diagnosis and correct treatment for meningitis patients. Sometimes patients have spent over 24hrs to get to AMU from ED for an LP.
Is this a rule anywhere else in the country? Or do I happen to work with the most annoying ED department in the world?