Position the patient and hyperextend the patients arm. Why does blood stop flowing during blood draw? %PDF-1.4 % Sure, its easier said than done when a needle is about to enter a persons vein, but tension can constrict veins. Some veins can be deep in the antecubital fossa area, especially, if there is a lot of fat tissue. Properly label the tubes and send to the laboratory for analysis. Take a look at these tips for drawing blood successfully: Feel & Touch When you receive your initial instruction on how to conduct basic blood draws, your If you are drawing from a leg, the extremity needs to be placed over the bed so that the blood can easily flow into it. You need full access to the arm so you will have to sit in front of the patient, a bit to his side. This allowed him to see the vein and was able to get the IV in. You may have to apply heat more than once. if (window.ClickTable) { Make sure bleeding at the puncture site has stopped and the site is cared for. Furthermore, it has a low risk of damaging surrounding nerves, arteries, and tendons versus other veins in the hands. Be careful when using wet or damp washcloths. Always remember to ask for help from seasoned nurses and seize opportunities to practice your skills. Phlebotomy Pages advises that individuals use touch as their primary indicatorwhen looking for the vein from which to draw blood.1 Veins will often feel as though they are slightly risen beneath the skin. You dont have to drink tons of water the night before but the recommended daily water intake should suffice. If all else fails, you can always use drugs. H\@E|E/g#0tW Y3y(N> CA}G)H6GUab/Jqk;gy>>n5%sLWorayo|zEnmn;4d~{;m/E. Should RaDonda Vaught Have Her Nursing License Reinstated? The veins of one patient may be different in size and quality from another. What Does VEAL CHOP Stand For in Nursing? Apply the tourniquet one to two inches above the wrist if drawing a hand vein. Firstly, they are sick. Prep the venipuncture site by cleansing the area with an alcohol prep pad for 30 seconds and allow to air dry for 30 seconds. Spaces are not allowed; punctuation is not allowed except for periods, hyphens, apostrophes, and underscores. Invert a BP cuff so that the blood can go to the lower regions of the limb. Secondly, they lay most of the time. The three most commonly used veins for drawing blood are the median cubital, the cephalic, and the basilic veins. When you are retaining water, it increases the total volume of fluid that is being pushed through your blood vessels by your heart. *This website is provided for educational and informational purposes only and does not constitute providing medical advice or professional services. WebA measurement around your waist. The gratification of giving blood is a feeling you'll want to share. There are tips for making veins pop out when taking blood. To use a tourniquet to draw blood correctly, you should tie it three or four inches directly above the puncture site. In the case of children or uncooperative individuals, restraints are an option but they should be avoided at all costs. An elderly persons veins are prone to collapsing, which could mean, you may have to try several times at drawing blood. Use a 23 gauge needle for small, thin, and weak veins. The elderly need special care and attention when doing a blood test. Nowadays, there is equipment that can help us locate the vein. Create an account and get 24 hours access for free. 0000031373 00000 n Has 10 years experience. Also, it is the basis of diagnostics. Place it at the chin and lightly draw a straight line. Insert the beveled needle at a 30-degree angle into the vessel. They already have pain, so lets make the process easier and more comfortable for them. Our members represent more than 60 professional nursing specialties. Here are the basic steps to drawing blood: The first step in drawing blood correctly is to identify the appropriate veins to puncture. Dont go deep. 0000005129 00000 n Pump the fists! Ideally, try to work with your patient ahead of time, or give them information about what they can do to make their blood draw experience easier. Can You Get an Associate Degree in Nursing Online? Most of the time, the visibility of the vein depends on the patient. WebIf you are drawing blood from an arm, make sure to sit near the patient, as close as possible. Only major veins should be used here. Its your job to make sure the patient is as comfortable as possible as you take blood, and that can be difficult to do when you cant find a usable vein. In certain cases, the patient may move a bit which may result in you sticking the needle in your own finger. Lower the patients arm for a few minutes before applying the tourniquet. To avoid bruising, place the tourniquet over the patients shirt sleeve if drawing blood from an arm vein. If at the hospital, get nursing staff to assist you. Nursing schools do not teach this skill due to legality issues. Click to visit Blood Collection: Special Considerations, Obese Patients Sometimes, the patient may experience hemoconcentration. No matter what, always take your time to find just the right vein. The paramedic immediately brought out a large flash light and pressed it to the patients arm. Phlebotomy teams generally only make rounds at specific times in hospital settings, therefore, if a lab test is ordered immediately it could be the responsibility of the nursing staff to draw the specimen. Next step is explaining the procedure. hbba`b``3~0 U endstream endobj 197 0 obj <>/Metadata 31 0 R/Pages 30 0 R/StructTreeRoot 33 0 R/Type/Catalog/ViewerPreferences<>>> endobj 198 0 obj >/PageTransformationMatrixList<0[1.0 0.0 0.0 1.0 -306.0 -396.0]>>/PageUIDList<0 193>>/PageWidthList<0 612.0>>>>>>/Resources<>/ExtGState<>/Font<>/ProcSet[/PDF/Text/ImageC]/XObject<>>>/Rotate 0/StructParents 0/TrimBox[0.0 0.0 612.0 792.0]/Type/Page>> endobj 199 0 obj <> endobj 200 0 obj [/Separation/Beaumont#20Blue 221 0 R<>] endobj 201 0 obj <>stream These three together can help you find a vein. If you are having difficulty finding a vein or is unsuccessful at drawing blood, ask for assistance from another experienced phlebotomist or you can get help from a doctor. professionals to write our content whenever possible. WebApply a warm cloth or towel to the arm to cause the veins to dilate. This one goes without saying but is still something that needs to be emphasized. For adult patients, the most common and first choice is the median cubital vein in the antecubital fossa. Continue with Recommended Cookies. If that is the case, the patient should bend arm upwards which will make the vein more visible. Some individuals will have far more noticeable veins than others, some will be calm about the procedure and others will require a great deal of calming down, etc. As you get older, most of you systems tend to shrink and they become more fragile. Make sure not to press too hard! If necessary, apply the tourniquet and examine the median cubital, cephalic, and basilic veins. Massaging may help you in finding a vein if you have not already found one. (function() { Ask the individual to flex his or her arm a bit. If possible, look at areas that tend to have less subcutaneous fat, such as the back of the hand, the thumb, the wrist, and even the top of the foot. If a patient is reluctant or fearful, it can interfere with drawing blood. 1. Wear a shirt with sleeves that you can roll up above your elbows. venipuncture is one of the main parts of your job. Closely monitor the arm to ensure that is is not applied to tight or for more than 2 minutes. It all depends on your preparation and equipment. Someone else may be able to find something that you cannot. 0000009535 00000 n Become a Part of the Nurse.org Community! If you experience dizziness or lightheadedness, stop what youre doing and sit down or lie down until you feel better; avoid performing any activity where fainting may lead to injury for at least 24 hours. Our mission is to Empower, Unite, and Advance every nurse, student, and educator. 2. The most common vein is the antecubital fossa; however, the median cephalic and median basilic veins are also used. Very often, drinking water will get veins to show up that were not visible or palpable before. Nitroglycerine is yet another substance that can help you out during phlebotomy. WebIn this module, you'll learn why the right approach is critical when drawing from overweight patients, and you'll have a newfound appreciation for what it's like for too many If you cant find a good vein, move to the back of the hand. Some will come on wheelchairs, using a cane, needing help to walk, move, sit and stand. While not commonly taught in nursing school programs, many recommend that nursing students take extra courses in how to draw blood to learn this skill.

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