Kala Farmer
English 1101 Online
Levi Wright, Instructor
Proper Instructions of a Blood Draw
It’s very important to follow the proper steps in a blood draw for both the safety of the patient and medical personnel. First, the blood draw or venipuncture is the puncture of a vein with a needle to collect a blood sample. The proper steps of a blood draw are as follows.
Step One
Identifying the patient by name and date of birth is one of the most important steps. As a medical professional you want to ensure you have the correct patient for the test. For example, you wouldn’t want to perform a blood pregnancy test on a male patient.
Step Two
Check to make sure you have appropriate tools for the blood draw and verify the orders from the physician. Leave all equipment in packaging until you are in front of the patient. …show more content…
Apply gloves.
Step Four
Make sure the patient is as comfortable as possible and if they are prone to fainting, it is best to lie them down. Then ask the patient if there is a specific place they normally have blood drawn from and then “apply the tourniquet 2-3 inches above the puncture site”. Then check to see if they a have a vein that can be used. If you can’t feel or palpate a vein, ask the patient to make a fist (this will sometimes make the vein more firm and easier to feel). Once you have chosen a vein release the tourniquet because leaving it on too long can cause damage to the patient’s arm and the sample.
Step Five
Next you will want to set up your workspace. Make sure you have an alcohol pad, gauze, band aid, and needle set
English 1101 Online
Levi Wright, Instructor
Proper Instructions of a Blood Draw
It’s very important to follow the proper steps in a blood draw for both the safety of the patient and medical personnel. First, the blood draw or venipuncture is the puncture of a vein with a needle to collect a blood sample. The proper steps of a blood draw are as follows.
Step One
Identifying the patient by name and date of birth is one of the most important steps. As a medical professional you want to ensure you have the correct patient for the test. For example, you wouldn’t want to perform a blood pregnancy test on a male patient.
Step Two
Check to make sure you have appropriate tools for the blood draw and verify the orders from the physician. Leave all equipment in packaging until you are in front of the patient. …show more content…
Apply gloves.
Step Four
Make sure the patient is as comfortable as possible and if they are prone to fainting, it is best to lie them down. Then ask the patient if there is a specific place they normally have blood drawn from and then “apply the tourniquet 2-3 inches above the puncture site”. Then check to see if they a have a vein that can be used. If you can’t feel or palpate a vein, ask the patient to make a fist (this will sometimes make the vein more firm and easier to feel). Once you have chosen a vein release the tourniquet because leaving it on too long can cause damage to the patient’s arm and the sample.
Step Five
Next you will want to set up your workspace. Make sure you have an alcohol pad, gauze, band aid, and needle set