Clinical Skills Flashcards
What are the steps of venepuncture?
- Prepare, introduce self, wash hands, gloves etc
- Apply tourniquet, and clean site
- Insert needle in line with vein, bevel up,
- Insert blood tube and wait for it to fill
- Remove tourniquet
- Apply cotton and remove needle in single movement
- Label blood sample
What are purple top blood tubes used for?
- FBC
What are yellow top blood tubes used for?
U&Es
LFTs
What are blue top blood tubes used for?
Coagulation tests
What are pink top blood tubes used for?
Transfusion
Cross match
What is the order of draw of blood tubes?
Blue (Aerobic) blood culture Purple (Anaerobic) blood culture Blue Yellow Red Green Purple Pink Grey
What is the equipment needed for venepuncture?
Gloves Antiseptic wipe Needle Needle holder Sharps bin Tourniquet Correct blood tube
What are blue blood culture bottles used for?
Aerobic cultures
What are purple blood culture bottles used for?
Anaerobic cultures
Why should purple blood culture bottles be used second?
The butterfly tubing may contain air
What needle should be used for venepuncture?
16-gauge needle
Green
What is the smallest IV cannula needle size?
Blue (22G)= Approx 20ml/m
What is the largest IV cannula needle size?
Orange (14G)= Approx 300 ml/m
What cannula size should generally be used?
Green (18G)= Approx 110 ml/m
What are the steps of cannulation?
- Prepare, equipment, introduce self, wash hands, gloves
- Support patients arm on pillow
- Apply tourniquet 5-10 cm above intended site
- Clean site for 30s
- Stretch the skin below site and insert needle in line with skin at 15-20 degrees, advance until flashback into hub of cannula
- Slightly withdraw needle until second flashback along length of cannula, and advance
- Once inserted, release tourniquet
- Apply pressure to vein proximal to tip, ancour the hub of cannula and then remove needle, attaching a bung to end
- Secure with dressing
- Flush cannula
What equipment is needed for cannulation?
Gloves Antiseptic wipe Tourniquet Cannula Sharps bin Dressing Saline Syringe Gauze