Methods of Blood Collection Flashcards
What is the method of choice for taking pediatric patients blood? What else is it useful for?
Capillary Puncture. Useful with obesity, severe burns, and thrombotic tendencies.
where can you take a capillary puncture from?
heel, finger, earlobe, or toe
which part of the finger would you take a capillary puncture?
fleshy surface of distal phalanx of middle finger or ring finger. ({middle is preferred)
What is the most common site for capillary puncture in infants?
plantar surface of the heel, perpendicular to the big toe
What is the “best method of blood collection”?
venipuncture
specimens from venous blood, because of their ease, are a primary source of specimens for which purposes?
clinical laboratory analyses
Why can you use either 70% ETOH or Betadine Solution? One vs the other?
patient sensitivities/allergies
how many times do you milk or massage the middle or ring finger on a fingerstick capillary method of blood collection?
5-6 times
What can happen if you don’t allow the alcohol to dry on the patients skin prior to lancing?
it can cause the blood to hemolyze
where is your stab with a fingerstick?
side of the finger (off center) across the striations of the fingertip
the max depth of the lancet should not exceed how far into the fingertip?
2 MM
Why would you wipe away the first drop of blood on a fingerstick?
to avoid dilution of the specimen with tissue fluid
how should you position the patient with venipuncture procedures?
lying in bed or sitting in a chair with arm propped up
(never perform with a patient standing up)
use caution to ensure patient does not fall forward from chair
how far above the antecubital area should you place a tourniquet for a venipuncture?
2-3 inches
if you use a blood pressure cuff on a patient who has hard veins to find (probably super fat), what pressure in mm/Hg can you inflate the cuff?
30 mm/Hg
what is the angle for insertion of the needle in venipuncture?
15-30 degree angle with skin, bevel up
how long should patient hold pressure after removing the needle in venipuncture?
3 min
What anticoagulant is used in PURPLE tops?
Ethylenediaminetetracetic Acid (EDTA)
What are PURPLE tops typically used for?
hematological studies: CBC WBC diff ESR AIC
how does EDTA work?
binds calcium so blood cannot clot
Does EDTA affect cellular morphology?
no
How long can specimens be refrigerated with PURPLE tops?
24 hrs
What anticoagulant is used in LIGHT BLUE tops?
Sodium Citrate
Sodium Citrate/Light Blue Tops are typically used in which studies?
coagulation studies: PT PTT Fib D Dimer
