venipuncture is one of the main parts of your job. Obesity Screening: MedlinePlus Medical Test If youre a phlebotomist who has encountered this problem before, you know how frustrating it can be. We and our partners share information on your use of this website to help improve your experience. Sometimes, its even hard to feel them with your finger. trailer <<1A62135BA6734AC3B0AC4ED47D445652>]/Prev 812906/XRefStm 1512>> startxref 0 %%EOF 240 0 obj <>stream 0000031034 00000 n Thirdly, they may lose their appetite and drink less fluids. 2. How To Draw Blood | A Step-by-Step Guide - Nurse.org The consent submitted will only be used for data processing originating from this website. 0000025579 00000 n Let us know if you have a preferred arm or particular vein that has been used successfully in the past to draw blood. Besides that, there are some additional considerations. This is painful and can bruise the patient. Tips For A Successful Blood Donation | Red Cross Blood Services When drawing blood, you will need several tubes for different samples in your equipment. Using a tourniquet is something most people are used to seeing during difficult blood draws. For novice phlebotomists, this vein is the first choice because it is close to the skins surface and tends not to roll when punctured. Insert the beveled needle at a 30-degree angle into the vessel. Elderly persons walking in to do blood tests usually have nicer veins, though, there will still be a few difficulties. Then, apply heat to the lowered arm. Venous access should always be based on feel, not looks. This is especially important for babies and small children that have the natural aversion to needles. Dismiss. 1-917-426-3524, By using the site you agree to our Privacy, Cookies, and Terms of Service Policies. allnurses, LLC, 175 Pearl St Ste 355, Brooklyn NY 11201 Avoid snapping or tapping veins. Once veins have been located, return the patients arm to the horizontal position for the blood draw. All these factors contribute to their veins staying low. If you allow the visible stress or discomfort of your patient to permeate your own mentality, then youre far more likely to make a mistake or miss the vein. After that, pressure needs to be applied on insertion point. I understand that consent is not required to purchase any goods or services from this school and that my consent can be revoked at any time. When the blood draw is complete, gently release the tourniquet. As we mentioned, it is your duty as a medical professional to ensure the patient that everything will be ok. If necessary, apply the tourniquet and examine the median cubital, cephalic, and basilic veins. Alternate arms if youve given blood WebTips for Drawing Blood Always feel the vein rather than see it! 0000005129 00000 n Luckily, got it on the first stick. Dont go deep. The Highest Paying Jobs For Nurses With a BSN, Types of Masters in Nursing Degrees & Specialties, Pros & Cons of Getting a Master's Degree in Nursing, Nurse Practitioner vs Physician Assistant, Highest Paid Nurse Practitioner Specialties, How to Conduct a Nursing Head-to-Toe Assessment, How to Read an Electrocardiogram (EKG/ECG), Understanding and Interpreting the Glasgow Coma Scale, Complete List of Common Nursing Certifications. Once you remove the needle, gauze should be applied for a bit. When performing venipuncture, he needs to convince a person that he is capable of drawing blood safely. Sometimes, you will need another person or two to help you with difficult patients. To make a basic grid for your female body proportions, turn your ruler so its perpendicular to the vertical line you drew. This will fill them up much quicker which is a great way to finish procedure faster if you have a troublesome patient. The first step is to discuss with the patient what you will be doing and why as well as gather all the needed supplies. Use alcohol to stimulate the site to make the vein more visible. Gravity alone will help reveal veins that were not visible or palpable earlier. You may have to apply heat more than once. Other times, they dont want to pop out or raise for the phlebotomist to be able to draw successfully. This is mainly due to the fact that different people have different biological systems which can make it harder to find and puncture the vein. Eat a healthy meal, avoiding fatty foods like hamburgers, fries or ice cream. If properly inserted blood should flash into the catheter. Venipuncture or drawing blood is one of the most common procedures performed in any medical center. This can help reveal the vein. WebApply a warm cloth or towel to the arm to cause the veins to dilate. There are numerous situations where you should refrain from using a tourniquet as a part of your equipment. Ask the person to lower their arm for a few minutes before applying the tourniquet. The needle should fully penetrate it. No matter how a patient looks like, it is necessary for a medical professional to protect himself. Application of heat will cause vasodilation, making veins easier to see or palpate. Frail veins can pose a great problem when drawing blood. If you are certain that youve hit a vein and there is still no blood coming from it, this is an indication that you have hit a necrotic vein. How Does Donating Blood Affect Your Body? Some jumping jacks or push-ups can make your veins pop out. Fat, or obese patients, have more fat around their veins which can make it difficult to find the vein for drawing blood or starting an IV. Please bring your donor card, driver's license or two other forms of identification. Blood Collector's ATM: Phlebotomy and the Obese Patient Doctors have access to deep veins like the femoral and subclavian vein that other phlebotomists dont have. WebYour effort to overcome obesity is more likely to be successful if you follow strategies at home in addition to your formal treatment plan. Drink an extra 16 oz. We strive to be the It helps us establish if there is something wrong with the body and what to look out for. Heightening awareness of healthcare workers to the problem and consequences of leaving a tourniquet on too long. Kindness and helpfulness must be shown to them. The rightvein should feel somewhat bouncy as you press on it. The needle may also not be in a vein. Apply heat for about 3 to 5 minutes and then assess for vein. Some veins can be deep in the antecubital fossa area, especially, if there is a lot of fat tissue. After that, you need to see if the patient has any medical condition, if he is using drugs or if he is fasting. Try tourniquets, hot packs, gravity, and ask the patient where they usually have luck with blood draws. 0000012097 00000 n Donating Platelets? Throw everything in proper containers. These three together can help you find a vein. See which ones are available and good for drawing blood. Keep the strip bandage on for the next several hours; to avoid a skin rash, clean the area around the bandage with soap and water. Usually, if you cant find a vein in the antecubital fossa or at the back of the hand, you will find one in the forearm. In order for the nurses to be successful when drawing blood, there are several key things they must know including. Without further ado, here are 50 tips that will help you perform this crucial procedure. Fourthly, they are not very active, possibly causing lower blood pressure, hence slower blood flow. I'm Kadia. Have iron-rich foods, such as red meat, fish, poultry, beans, spinach, iron-fortified cereals or raisins. The gratification of giving blood is a feeling you'll want to share. Congratulations, you just took the first step towards a new future by furthering your education. Phlebotomy, the practice of drawing blood from a vein, is a proficiency that all nurses need to learn. It includes preparation of the patient, finding the right vein, insertion of the needle, disposal of waste and handling of potential hazards. WebObesity isn't just a cosmetic concern. You dont have to drink tons of water the night before but the recommended daily water intake should suffice. Follow your institutional guidelines or polices or get advice from qualified personnel. tips on starting IV, drawing blood on obese patient. In most cases, simply following best practices and knowing how to find a difficult vein is the best way to carry out a successful draw. Dont do any heavy lifting or vigorous exercise for the rest of the day. Below are 5 key areas of importance with tips. Medical professional also has to be a salesman of the sort. Fluid retention. Once the vein is located, the individual arm can be returned to horizontal position for blood collection. Hopefully, these 50 tips will help you establish what is ok and what is not. By placing a warm towel over the veins, you are increasing the blood vessels which will make them more visible. WebSome obese people are no prob, but some have deep veins, rolly pollies, etc. 0000006606 00000 n Often, even a loose bind can help a vein to pop. One of our Enrollment Services Representatives will be contacting you shortly. But lots of people swear by it, so there might be something to it! Massage the vein. The veins of one patient may be different in size and quality from another. They already have pain, so lets make the process easier and more comfortable for them. BLOOD WebFor routine blood draws, 70% isopropyl alcohol or 70% ethyl alcohol is recommended. It worries me to see so many people in this thread and others talk about seeing veins and palpating them only if you can't see one. Venous access s They should be spread distally from proximal joint to the insertion site. 0000027834 00000 n At some time in life, every person will do a blood test, and not only one but multiple as life goes on. Big ppl are not bad to stick at all, especially the ones with edema. Click to visit Blood Collection: Special Considerations, Obese Patients 0000018898 00000 n If its possible for you to give your patients some tips ahead of time, this can make hard-to-find veins for a blood draw so much easier. 1. The site should not be warmed to a temperature higher than 42 EC. Youll be the first to know about nursing news, trending topics and educational resources. Dont be discouraged if at first, you dont access the vein. This Has 7 years experience. In the case of elderly patients, make sure to use smaller needles and to be extra gentle. 2023 Carrington College. This will cause a lot of mess. However, there are numerous things that can go wrong while you draw blood. There is a nice way to fill the tubes faster. Specializes in OBGYN, Urogynecology. Looking for a change beyond the bedside? just like everyone else. The order of venipuncture sites is vital to follow. Do not apply the tourniquet too tightly over the arm or wrist as it could cause injury or collapse the vein. A close look at the site from which you will draw blood will tell you which equipment to use. You should draw blood in the following locations: Often, you wont know your patient personally before drawing their blood, unless you work at a smaller practice and have done it for them before. Afterward, you can easily go upwards. After identifying the site for the blood draw, gather the appropriate supplies needed. It uses high intensity light that is directed down through the skin. If you cant find a good vein, move to the back of the hand. Stay away from the palm of the hand, fingers and from the wrist area. Try tourniquets, hot packs, gravity, and ask the patient where they usually have luck with blood draws. element: document.getElementById("fbct7c991c3d"), 0000180491 00000 n if (window.ClickTable) { Afterward, make sure to store them properly. Massage the arm from the wrist to the elbow if using arm veins. Specializes in RN-BC, CCRN, TCRN, CEN. WebInflate cuff to 30mm Hg above systolic reading and maintain pressure for about 1 to 2 minutes. WebA measurement around your waist. Just ensure that you have drank some fluids before the test. Talk to your doctor or therapist about improving your coping skills and consider these tips to cope with obesity and your weight-loss efforts: Journal. Fasting glucose and hemoglobin A1c (HbA1c) Other tests are performed as indicated by clinical findings. I was in a patients home a few days ago and had to call EMS, the patient was obese and her spouse said she had terrible veins. Phlebotomy basics Quiz and answer key included. draw Veins will appear as a dark line. Talk about pressure! WebIf the finger or heel is cold to the touch, pre-warming the site for a few minutes with a warm compress or commercial heel warmer will increase the flow of blood through the capillary beds. Although this is a benign, temporary effect, it can be quite misleading and can lead to the bad diagnosis. If you cant find one, consider the third option, the forearm. Place a tourniquet and clean the area for 30 seconds with an alcohol wipe. Nitroglycerine is yet another substance that can help you out during phlebotomy. Always try to draw blood from veins that are lowest. Ask the individual to flex his or her arm a bit. 0000260220 00000 n 5. Only tighten it if necessary. 0000008644 00000 n Choosing a selection results in a full page refresh. The practice of phlebotomy is not something that can strictly be learned from watching videos or reading a how-to guide but something that must be practiced repeatedly in a controlled environment with other trained professionals. A phlebotomist will need to find a good, strong vein from which to draw blood. It used to be that all 50 states required blood tests before getting a marriage license but that is no longer the case. If you do otherwise, you are going to injure the patient. Phlebotomy Pages advises that individuals use touch as their primary indicatorwhen looking for the vein from which to draw blood.1 Veins will often feel as though they are slightly risen beneath the skin. Don't take aspirin for 2 days before your appointment. Then, deflate blood pressure cuff and apply tourniquet. Maybe the number one thing that a person can do is to make sure they are well hydrated. In the case of children or uncooperative individuals, restraints are an option but they should be avoided at all costs. Furthermore, it has a low risk of damaging surrounding nerves, arteries, and tendons versus other veins in the hands.