Drawing blood is one of the skills required of a registered nurse. While there are phlebotomists that work at the hospital, you can't count on them to always be there when your patient needs an important lab test done. Here are the basic procedures for drawing blood.
A phlebotomist is a medical professional who's trained to perform blood draws. They collect blood for testing or donation and can also perform blood transfusions.
Most blood tests only take a few minutes to complete. They're carried out at your GP practice or local hospital by a doctor, nurse or phlebotomist (a specialist in taking blood samples).
This is usually done by a trained healthcare professional, such as a phlebotomist or nurse, who uses a needle to puncture a vein in the patient's arm and collect a small sample of blood.
Most nurses are not trained in school how to do blood draws. However, hospitals and clinics hire phlebotomist to do blood draws for this reason. If you're a patient that has problems with blood being drawn, you're allowed and encouraged to ask for a phlebotomist. That's their job, after all.
Yes, you can absolutely be a nurse even if you are afraid of blood. There are many paths in the nursing profession you can take, and sometimes you may not even have to deal with blood often (or ever). There are many “desk jobs” in nursing as well, and some nurses go on to teach school after they get their degrees.
Veins in the legs and feet should only be used with physician approval and can only be drawn by a RN or appropriately trained personnel; training must be documented… These sites are more susceptible to infection and formation of clots, particularly in patients with diabetes, coagulation disorders and cardiac problems.
Blown veins occur when a needle injures or irritates a vein, causing blood to leak into the surrounding area. In some cases, IV fluid or medication may also leak from the vein. Blown veins are usually not serious and will heal with treatment. A doctor or nurse may use pressure or ice to reduce any swelling.
Most veins don't roll, but every nurse has dealt with ones that do. You can end up missing a vein because when you tried to stick it, it rolled to one side and completely disappeared. To prevent that from happening, first try palpating to determine if the vein rolls, and if so, which direction it's more likely to go.
If the medical staff does not see a vein that will work for a blood draw, they may take blood from another location. Depending on the protocols of the lab, clinic, or doctor's office, they may be able to do a blood draw from the top of the hands, wrists, and other areas on the arms.
Blood tests may be prescribed serially, for example, every hour for 4 hours; daily; or immediately (Stat). The nurse monitors to ensure that the tests are completed, as requested. The results are reported to the physician, as needed, and are posted manually or electronically in the patient's record.
Urine is routinely tested on first contact to form a baseline for future assessment (Royal College of Nursing (RCN), 2016a). Frequency thereafter will depend on the rationale for testing and the person's general health status.
A certain amount of blood is consumed to test for different items. A small amount can lead to inaccurate results or failure to produce results. Drawing an excessive amount of blood will ensure that there is enough for retesting in case of abnormal results.
Ask the patient to form a fist so the veins are more prominent. Enter the vein swiftly at a 30 degree angle or less, and continue to introduce the needle along the vein at the easiest angle of entry. Once sufficient blood has been collected, release the tourniquet BEFORE withdrawing the needle.
Vibrating needles during insertion reduces the force required to penetrate tissues and may lead to less stressful venipuncture procedures in research subjects. Future studies might evaluate the expansion of the approach to other species and sampling locations and assess the influences of age and disease.
After 4 unsuccessful attempts, it is time for a careful assessment of VAD needs and discussion with the patient's providers to decide on the most appropriate options. Many experts would argue that 4 attempts are too many!
Tapping enhances vasodilation for venipuncture even in individuals with veins that are relatively difficult to palpate. Clin Anat.
Pain: A popped vein can be quite painful. You may feel a sharp pain when the vein pops, and the area may continue to hurt for some time afterwards. Swelling: Swelling is another common sign of a popped vein. The area around the vein may become swollen and tender to the touch.
In many cases, a mild vascular trauma may be able to heal on its own. Doctors treat more severe cases through surgery to repair the damaged vessels.
Typically, when you draw blood from the median cubital vein, it's less painful than drawing from a hand vein. If the vein you want to draw from is small, use a butterfly needle and syringe instead of the vacutainer system.
Symptoms Of Nerve Damage After Drawing Blood
Burning sensation. Pins and needle sensation, known as paresthesia. Weakness in the area where the needle entered your body. Numbness in your arm and hand.
The working surface should be visibly clean. Hand hygiene (hand washing or use of an alcohol rub) should be carried out before well-fitting, non-sterile gloves are put on and after they are removed (45). Only sterile, single-use blood-sampling devices should be used to take blood.