Capillary Punctures

Question 1

Definition of Hemolysis

Answer 1

Destruction of RBC

Question 2

What do you use for capillary puncture?

Answer 2

Lancet

Question 3

What happens when you excessively milk a finger during a skin puncture

Answer 3

Results in Hemolysis and contamination of the specimen

Question 4

Definition of osteomyelitis

Answer 4

Bone and bone marrow inflammation

Question 5

What causes osteomyelitis?

Answer 5

Deep penetration into the skin

Question 6

How deep should a lancet be in premature babies?

Answer 6

0.85 mm.

Question 7

How deep should a lancet be in full-term babies/ infants (42 weeks)?

Answer 7

Don’t exceed 2.0 mm.

Question 8

How deep should a lancet be for adults

Answer 8

3.0 mm.

Question 9

What do you do with the first drop of blood from a capillary collection

Answer 9

Wipe away with gauze, never alcohol

Question 10

Why does the first drop of blood in a capillary collection need to be wiped away?

Answer 10

The first drop is contaminated with thromboplastin, skin particles, tissue fluid, which alters the tests

Question 11

Definition of thromboplastin

Answer 11

A coagulation factor in the blood

Question 12

When do you use a fingerstick to collect blood?

Answer 12

-when the patient is over two years old
-You can’t find a vein
-If the patient has Burns, scars, nonintact skin
-If the patient is severely obese, and you can’t find a vein
-If the physician only wants to dry small amount of blood
-If they need to save vein integrity for other procedures
-On a patient with low hemoglobin

Question 13

For a fingerstick what finger do you use?

Answer 13

The third or fourth finger on the nondominant hand

Question 14

Heel stick is used for what patients

Answer 14

On infants, and toddlers up to two years of age

Question 15

How big should a lancet before he’ll stick on infants

Answer 15

2.0 mm.

Question 16

Where do you never draw blood from the heel stick?

Answer 16

On the middle part of the heel

Question 17

Where do you draw blood from the heel

Answer 17

The lateral sides of the big toe and the pinky toe of the heel
- Always wipe away the first drop of blood

Question 18

What type of warmer do you use for heel stick?

Answer 18

An infant heel warmer

Question 19

What screenings are the heel stick used for?

Answer 19

Bilirubin tests: causes jaundice
- treatment: light therapy
- collecting bilirubin: amber colored tube
-PKU test: mental disability’s (72hrs or younger)

Question 20

CLSI capillary draw: E.H.A.S

Answer 20

1. EDTA tubes: purple/ pink
2. Heparin: green
3. Any other additive
4. Serum: red/gold/tiger/marble