The three most commonly used veins for drawing blood are the median cubital, the cephalic, and the basilic veins. By clicking Accept All, you consent to the use of ALL the cookies. Ensuring that the skin is held taut helps the needle to pass through more easily and with less pain. In addition, the veins themselves become more fragile. endobj Procedure 2. If you do use iodine, follow it with a 70% alcohol swab. element: document.getElementById("fbctb96d8be2"), In doing so, this will enable students to learn basics prior to graduation. When you place a cannula in your vein, it causes tension that tightens your veins even more making injection much more challenging. The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Analytics". Venipuncture is a skill that takes time and practice to master. Where do I go then? If one is not prominent enough to instill confidence, default to the cephalic vein on the lateral or thumb side of the arm as a second choice. Using your thumb, pull back on the skin and hold the vein down. Remove the tourniquet as the last amount of blood is drawn. This indicates that you are well hydrated and will decrease your chances of having a vein collapse during your blood draw. The most economical and safest method for performing routine vein puncture is the use of: A.glass syringes B. evacuated tubes C. plastic syringes D. butterflies. Copyright 2020 Alliedhealthworld.com. Consequently, your veins start to dilate. Armband/Wristband. Some institutions have kits with all of the needed supplies while others will require the nurses to gather them individually. The first step is to discuss with the patient what you will be doing and why as well as gather all the needed supplies. Prevent Rolling Veins When Drawing Blood Today, drawing a sample of blood can potentially expose the health care worker to at least 20 communicable diseases.1 Most of them are life threatening, some of them cause incurable and fatal disease, but all of them may be preventable if health care workers use appropriate caution, technique and equipment. These veins vary in size between 6 and 15 The nurse will tell you to open up the fist of the arm they're getting blood from at some point during the drawing, but keep your other fist under that elbow. What are the three major pathways that eventually become entry points of, Jesus, James and Jane are partners who share profits and losses in the ratio of 35:25:40, respectively. f.style.height="352px"; Single use materials such as needles should never be reused. Stabilize the vein. It has been estimated that 1 million health care workers sustain accidental needlesticks every year.2,3 Thousands of these workers will contract some form of hepatitis; 50-60 of them will become seropositive for HIV.4 Hollow-bore needles, the kind used for collecting blood, account for 68.5 percent of all accidental needlesticks,3 and the use of winged infusion (butterfly) sets account for 35 percent of accidental needlesticks.5 Even more alarming is that up to 92 percent of accidental needlestick injuries suffered by laboratory personnel go unreported.3 Avoiding the use of winged infusion sets and using gloves, needle disposal units and proper technique can significantly minimize the risk of injury. It is composed of so many LEDs that make veins visible. 9\K4BH+Tk? It also reduces their chances of falling and injuring themselves if they do pass out. This will create centrifugal force that will increase the blood flow in your arm. The thumb should be placed a minimum of 1 to 2 inches below the and to the side of the intended venipuncture site, as the skin is pulled taut toward the wrist. var zf_ifrm_data = evntData.split("|"); It also may be the answer to your patients prayers. [dropcap]1[/dropcap] Thou shalt protect thyself from injury. Swing your arm like a pendulum. WebThe median cubital vein, also known as the antecubital vein, is the most common vein for phlebotomy. Injure a patient while puncturing at a steep angle and you will have a difficult time convincing the jury that you are immune from the standards as set forth in the literature. var zf_ifrm_ht_nw = ( parseInt(zf_ifrm_data[1], 10) + 15 ) + "px"; 2008-2023 HealthWorks Collective. To do this, position your non-dominant thumb slightly inferior to the vein and pull the skin and subcutaneous tissue downwards Anchor the vein from below with your non-dominant hand by gently pulling on the skin distal to the insertion site. Needlesticks: Who pays the price when costs are cut on safety? That is not to say the basilic vein should not be punctured. Apply PPE. The anterior, or palm side, of the forearm is particularly susceptible to injury because of the close proximity of nerves and tendons to the surface of the skin and should not be considered. Learning the anatomy of the main veins and arteries in the body is essential to becoming competent in phlebotomy. Apply a tourniquet approximately 3-4 inches above the selected site. Shari Forschen is a Registered Nurse at Sanford Health in North Dakota. wikiHow is where trusted research and expert knowledge come together. var iframe = document.getElementById("zf_div_SBGg-3DTNCwt65i9A6n_zU3SneyGD89SSqM_7F_nCas").getElementsByTagName("iframe")[0]; These cookies help provide information on metrics the number of visitors, bounce rate, traffic source, etc. What is the importance of locating and anchoring the vein? This will improve the blood flow to their head. It is more likely to roll away from the needle than the cephalic vein because it is not held as tightly in place by the tissues around it. Similar to the top two choices, the basilic vein is on the medial side of the arm. While not commonly taught in nursing school programs, many recommend that nursing students take extra courses in how to take blood to hone this skill. f.src = 'https://forms.zohopublic.com/healthservicesacademy/form/RequestCourseInformationCPTIAccelerated/formperma/SBGg-3DTNCwt65i9A6n_zU3SneyGD89SSqM_7F_nCas?zf_rszfm=1'; Anchor the vein as hard as you can. d.appendChild(f); Remember that the tourniquet shouldnt be on for more than 1 minute because it can change the blood composition. [dropcap]6[/dropcap] Thou shalt attempt to collect specimens only from an acceptable site. I found this very informative and helpful! Thank you, would highly recommend this. Heat the formula to 105 degrees Fahrenheit, A nurse is reviewing a client's intake and output and notes the following 0.9% sodium chloride 800 mL IV infusion, cefazolin 250 mg in dextrose In water 100 mL. Located in the antecubital fossa, the median cubital vein is a well anchored, stable vein that rarely rolls during venipuncture. The basilic vein is less frequently used than the cephalic. Geeky Medics A needle a. /Cs1 7 0 R >> /Font << /TT3.0 11 0 R /TT2.0 10 0 R /TT1.0 9 0 R >> /XObject Place a tourniquet and clean the area for 30 seconds with an alcohol wipe. This article received 15 testimonials and 93% of readers who voted found it helpful, earning it our reader-approved status. } Subscribe to our newsletter to get our newest articles instantly! Sign up to receive the latest nursing news and exclusive offers. Make sure you use both anchors. Web Explore the problems in identifying suitable veins for venipuncture. But what makes Infrared light Projected Vein Finder so popular is that the device can project the vein images right on the surface of patients skin. The, A nurse is caring for a client who is receiving continuous enteral feedings through gastrostomy tubes. f.style.width="100%"; 18. What happens to the velocity of an object as it falls? Azygos is the English rendering of the Ancient Greek word which means unpaired or unwedded. And that comes from - (meaning witho Sign up for wikiHow's weekly email newsletter. It is vital to follow, standard procedure for blood collection to get accurate, laboratory results. As the body temperature rises, the blood flow increases. Place a tourniquet and clean the area for 30 seconds with an alcohol wipe. Sometimes, you could have complications with the needle at times, such as penetrating too deep into the tissues or putting it at a low angle. The phlebotomist should warn the patient when the needle will be inserted so that they are not surprised. Divide the distance the solvent moved by the distance the individual spot moved. Our courses are designed to provide students with the skills and knowledge necessary to work in a variety of medical settings including: Hospitals, Clinical Laboratories, Clinics, Physicians Offices, Blood Banks and much more. Check out these eight schools that can help you turn your BSN into an MSN and potentially a career as a nurse practitioner, nurse midwife, clinical nurse specialist, or nurse educator. This will also stimulate blood flow. Stretching the skin is the single most effective way to minimize the pain Use it to try out great new products and services nationwide without paying full pricewine, food delivery, clothing and more. f.style.transition="all 0.5s ease"; Then, put a warm pack or warm water bottle over the area, since heat makes veins dilate and expand. var d = document.getElementById("zf_div_SBGg-3DTNCwt65i9A6n_zU3SneyGD89SSqM_7F_nCas"); Furthermore, they protect the nurse or healthcare professional from a potential needle stick. All Rights Reserved. The cephalic and basilic veins have a greater tendency to roll and veinpuncture may be more painful from these sites. x| D??q/{#72BH4M-P(,ziJ?sObvo[_4v's}^b&W(3n. The cookie is set by GDPR cookie consent to record the user consent for the cookies in the category "Functional". The condensed, PS.. use different sources and cite them properly. If properly inserted blood should flash into the catheter. var zf_ifrm_data = evntData.split("|"); As a phlebotomist, hard stick patients may be frustrating to handle. 6 Which is the maximum distance a projectile can travel? Insert the needle into the vein. The median cubital vein is the larger and more stable vein and is preferred for venipuncture. Become a Part of the Nurse.org Community! window.addEventListener('click-table-loaded', function(){ Did you know you can get expert answers for this article? Because it looks deceptively simple, nurses, clinical nursing assistants, radiologic technologists, respiratory therapists, physicians and others are all being asked to take a stab at phlebotomy. Question. You can increase the temperature of your body in a variety of ways. Nursing schools do not teach this skill due to legality issues. 27. Once again, please be aware that these are only guidelines for blood draws and nurses should consult with the appropriate hospital personnel regarding performing this procedure on patients. For tips from our Nurse Practitioner on how to find another vein if the median cubital vein isnt visible, scroll down! var prevIframeHeight = iframe.style.height; 5. One of the steps requires the phlebotomist to anchor the patients hand while inserting the needle. This article has been viewed 689,873 times. f.style.border="none"; How To Draw Blood: A Step-By-Step Guide - Nurse.org Jagger, J. The number of venipuncture attempts to insert a short peripheral catheter is a critical factor in the ultimate health of your patients veins. 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