Venepuncture Flashcards
What is the most commonly used vein in venepuncture. Where is this vein located?
The median cubical vein. Located in the cubical fossa.
Define venepuncture.
The puncturing of a vein with a needle in order to obtain a specimen of blood.
Name 4 complications of venepuncture.
- needle stick injury
- infection
- bleeding/bruising
- thrombosis
At what stage of venepuncture do we realise the tourniquet?
We should release the tourniquet before removing the needle to prevent bleeding.
At what angle should we insert the needle during venepuncture?
15-30 degrees.
What 7 essential things must we remember to do before the venepuncture procedure?
- Wash hands
- Check identity
- Check for allergies
- Explain procedure
- Gain consent
- Cleanse area
- Apply gloves
What 7 essential things must we remember after the venepuncture procedure?
- Dispose of sharps
- Asking patient to hold gauze in place
- Ensuring patient is comfortable
- Inverting the blood bottles as required
- Remove and dispose of gloves
- Wash hands after patient contact
- Document on patient files and blood bottles
How can we make the vein more prominent in order to perform venepuncture?
We can stroke the vein, ask the woman to pulsate her fist or warm up the limb if the woman is cold.
Should the bevel be facing up or down when we insert the needle?
The bevel should be facing upwards to ensure a smooth entry into the vein.
How long must we wait after cleansing the skin before inserting the needle? Why is this?
30 seconds. We are waiting for the alcohol to evaporate and the skin to dry so that none of the alcohol passes into the blood when inserting the needle.
What does FBC stand for?
Full blood count- in a purple bottle.
For what reasons may we take blood?
- FBC
- screening for conditions e.g. Infectious diseases, sickle cell
- check iron levels
- check for presence of alcohol or harmful substances
