Why is the Median Cubital Vein Used the Most? This is not to say that we all must start carrying around protractors to measure our angles, but inserting the needle at as low an angle as possible minimizes the risk to the patient and facilitates a successful puncture. Making a fist does the same to 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. [dropcap]5[/dropcap] Thou shalt invert tubes containing anticoagulants immediately after collection. Risky procedure, risky devices, risky job. Apply PPE. Like any other procedure, there are certain established and indisputable rules collectors should apply in order to consistently perform venipunctures cleanly, safely, successfully and with little or no discomfort to the patient. Contact us today to learn more about how to become a certified phlebotomist. Make fists. When conducting your survey of the antecubital area, check both arms for the medial vein before considering one of the alternatives. var f = document.createElement("iframe"); This indicates that you are well hydrated and will decrease your chances of having a vein collapse during your blood draw. These cookies help provide information on metrics the number of visitors, bounce rate, traffic source, etc. Check out these twelve health care careers that pay above the national average and require 4 years of school or less. Many venipunctures are routine, but you may occasionally encounter some difficult veins. Routinely employing this technique has two potential bonuses: your rate of successful punctures goes up and your patients thank you for considering their suffering. Needlesticks: Who pays the price when costs are cut on safety? Sign up for wikiHow's weekly email newsletter. Make sure that the alcohol has already dried on the skin before inserting because this may become more painful for the patient. Advances in Exposure Prevention, 1(1). Each healthcare system has its own requirements prior to nurses performing blood draws. The 2016 Infusion Therapy Standards of Practice call for no more than 2 attempts per clinician with a limit on the total number of attempts to 4. Who invented Google Chrome in which year? WebLocating and anchoring the vein or any blood vessel, is required to appropriately puncture the vein without slicing or severing it while trying to start an IV or draw blood. Approved. [dropcap]2[/dropcap] Thou shalt identify thy patients. If youre trying to draw blood from a hard-to-hit vein, first, tie a tourniquet about 4 inches above where you want to insert the needle. To begin with, tourniquets expand veins, making them larger and simpler to locate and inject into. WebThe median cubital vein, also known as the antecubital vein, is the most common vein for phlebotomy. << /Type /Page /Parent 3 0 R /Resources 6 0 R /Contents 4 0 R /MediaBox [0 0 612 792] The patient received incompatible blood and subsequently died. What happens if you dont use a tourniquet when drawing blood? lowering the arm alongside the chair, palpating the AC area firmly, using a warm towel a increase blood flow. 3.demonstrate proper locating and anchoring of the vein. You want to have some control and be comfortable when sticking the vein with the equipment you are using. Pulling down on the skin from below the intended puncture site with the thumb of your free hand anchors the vein and stretches the skin through which the needle will pass. Place a tourniquet and clean the area for 30 seconds with an alcohol wipe. If the typical method doesnt work, here are five tips for finding a difficult vein: Veins can be difficult for a variety of reasons. Proper safety standards to avoid a needle stick, standards for quality care for patients and health workers, including, availability of appropriate supplies and protective equipment, availability of post-exposure prophylaxis (PEP), avoidance of contaminated phlebotomy equipment. These veins are found above the hand, near the wrist, and by the thumb. This helps to anchor the vein and keep it from moving or rolling to the side when the needle is inserted. Armband/Wristband. Furthermore, they protect the nurse or healthcare professional from a potential needle stick. In fact, the majority of intensive care units require their nurses to possess these skills. Subscribe for the latest nursing news, offers, education resources and so much more! f.style.width="100%"; 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. When your body hydrates, veins expand automatically. Necessary cookies are absolutely essential for the website to function properly. } Include your email address to get a message when this question is answered. % of people told us that this article helped them. f.style.transition="all 0.5s ease"; What is the importance of locating and anchoring the vein? var iframe = document.getElementById("zf_div_SBGg-3DTNCwt65i9A6n_zU3SneyGD89SSqM_7F_nCas").getElementsByTagName("iframe")[0]; Superficial veins. Phlebotomists- How do you approach a difficult vein? var zf_perma = zf_ifrm_data[0]; To enhance students careers, meet the needs of healthcare providers and improve patient care by providing high quality, cost effective phlebotomy education through industry leading curriculum, current technology and extensive hands on experience. If neither of these strategies work, exercise their arms. Locating proper site for, venipuncture is crucial in collection of blood as it may, also affect the outcome of certain laboratory tests. {"smallUrl":"https:\/\/www.wikihow.com\/images\/thumb\/b\/b4\/Draw-Blood-from-Hard-to-Hit-Veins-Step-1.jpg\/v4-460px-Draw-Blood-from-Hard-to-Hit-Veins-Step-1.jpg","bigUrl":"\/images\/thumb\/b\/b4\/Draw-Blood-from-Hard-to-Hit-Veins-Step-1.jpg\/aid9214-v4-728px-Draw-Blood-from-Hard-to-Hit-Veins-Step-1.jpg","smallWidth":460,"smallHeight":345,"bigWidth":728,"bigHeight":546,"licensing":"