Venipuncture Basics
What position should a patient be in during venipuncture?
Fowler's or Semi-Fowler's with arm extended, palm up
What is the purpose of the evacuated tube method in blood collection?
To collect larger blood samples for testing
What is the winged infusion method commonly used for?
Smaller or more fragile veins
What does the color of a blood collection tube indicate?
The type of chemical additive inside
What equipment is used to spin and separate blood into its components?
Centrifuge
mastectomy, fistula, ports, scar tissue, injuries, burns or wounds at site
At what angle should the needle be inserted during venipuncture?
Insert needle at a 15 -30 degree angle; 10-15 degree on hand
Where should capillary punctures be made on infants?
Outer edge of the underside of the heel.
Why is it important to follow the order of draw in blood collection?
To avoid cross contamination of the additives
What components are separated during centrifugation?
Plasma, RBC, Buffy Coat (WBC, Platelets)
Where should a tourniquet be placed?
3-4 inches about the venipuncture site
What is another name for evacuated tube method?
Vacuum tube method
Why should the first drop of blood be wiped away after a capillary puncture?
It contains tissue fluids, debris
Which of the following tubes would be drawn first: Lavender, Light Blue, Green
Light Blue
After applying tourniquet, where should the vein be anchored?
Grasp with thumb 1-3 in below draw site
What should you do if locating the vein takes longer than 1 minute?
Remove and allow blood to flow to return to normal (2 min) before reapplying
What should be done to vacuum tubes that have additives after they are filled?
They should be inverted for mixing.
What tool is used to perform a capillary puncture?
A lancet
Which of the following lab test does not require inversion? (Plasma, Immunology, Blood Culture)
Blood Culture
How should skin be cleansed for a venipuncture?
With antiseptic (70% alcohol) wiping in an upward and downward motion.
Which is the most common vein used for venipunctures?
What is the potential risk associated with shaking or forcefully inverting the tubes?
How should the butterfly needle be held during the procedure?
Hold the needle by its wings
What additive is found in a lavender top tube, and what type of tests is it used for?
EDTA - Whole blood, hematology
The increased concentration of large molecules and formed elements in the blood occurs due to prolonged tourniquet use is called___.
Hemoconcentration