tips for drawing blood on obese patients

It can really make the veins pop. She hit the vein on the first try. Once again, please be aware that these are only guidelines for blood draws and nurses should consult with the appropriate hospital personnel regarding performing this procedure on patients. The heat will help dilate the veins and gravity will assist in filling those veins. H\@E|E/g#0tW Y3y(N> CA}G)H6GUab/Jqk;gy>>n5%sLWorayo|zEnmn;4d~{;m/E. If the person is dehydrated or hasnt been drinking a lot of fluids, get them to drink some and see if that helps. Throw everything in proper containers. Enjoy :). 0000001689 00000 n 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. WebDrink an extra 16 oz. The other day I saw another nurse do a different variation of this, and she put one tourniquet above the AC (like usual), and another 2 inches below the AC. Anchor the vein from below with your non-dominant hand by gently pulling on the skin distal to the insertion site. It uses high intensity light that is directed down through the skin. At some time in life, every person will do a blood test, and not only one but multiple as life goes on. We are a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to Amazon.com. In situations like these, you have to be patient and apply various techniques depending on the reason for the difficulty. Web Place the tourniquet over the patients sleeve of the patient shirt sleeve if drawing an arm vein. } Another thing a person can do is to try to be relaxed as much as possible. Gloves are a must. But sometimes, it can find a vein you didnt see or feel. Fasting glucose and hemoglobin A1c (HbA1c) Other tests are performed as indicated by clinical findings. 3. As a result, this will lead to the release of histamine increasing the vein. The most common vein is the antecubital fossa; however, the median cephalic and median basilic veins are also used. How Does Donating Blood Affect Your Body? Increased body mass can also lead to issues during venipuncture. Use alcohol to stimulate the site to make the vein more visible. In fact, based on this, the entire procedure can be harder or easier. In a way, you have to entertain a person during phlebotomy. Gravity alone will help reveal veins that were not visible or palpable earlier. Blood tests are no longer Hi! Ideally, try to work with your patient ahead of time, or give them information about what they can do to make their blood draw experience easier. 4. These 5 areas include:if(typeof ez_ad_units!='undefined'){ez_ad_units.push([[300,250],'phlebotomistreport_com-medrectangle-4','ezslot_6',165,'0','0'])};__ez_fad_position('div-gpt-ad-phlebotomistreport_com-medrectangle-4-0'); From my experience elderly persons on wards are the most difficult sticks. Spend a decent amount of time looking for good veins. The elderly are prone to bruising when applying the tourniquet. Choosing a specialty can be a daunting task and we made it easier. The needle may have pulled out of the vein. %PDF-1.4 % Measure the distance from the top of the head to the chin. But when dealing with a particularly disruptive or difficult individual, its imperative to balance both sympathy and professionalism in this matter. tips on starting IV, drawing blood on obese patient. window.ClickTable.mount(options); Ask the patient where they usually get stuck. I have had patients tell me nurses are more successful in one arm than the other, etc. One thing that Relax, listen to music, talk to other donors or read while you donate. Confirm the ordered tests and fill out the appropriate forms and labels. Kindness and helpfulness must be shown to them. If you donate frequently, be sure to take multivitamins with iron to ensure you continue to. Using heat (such as a warm towel) or placing the extremity in a dependent position (to allow gravity to fill the veins) can help, too. Should RaDonda Vaught Have Her Nursing License Reinstated? At some time in life, every person will do a blood test, and not only one but multiple as life goes on. Take a look at these tips for drawing blood successfully: When you receive your initial instruction on how to conduct basic blood draws, your instructor will most likely tell you to locate the vein you are targeting by sight. If you encounter such a person, make sure to draw blood from larger veins instead of the smaller ones. Patients health is your priority. You should never tie it too tightly at first. Check out our Facebook page and give it a like: http://www.redcrossblood.org/donating-blood/tips-successful-donation. Frail veins can pose a great problem when drawing blood. Nursing schools do not teach this skill due to legality issues. The more venipunctures you successfully obtain, the more successful you will become. Make sure to perform venipuncture from patients non-dominant arm (which is usually the left one) as it will allow him to use his dominant arm afterwards. Approach Considerations. Dont be discouraged if at first, you dont access the vein. Closely monitor the arm to ensure that is is not applied to tight or for more than 2 minutes. In the event that you cant locate the appropriate vein strictly by vision, this can be a great alternative method. 0000005419 00000 n 196 45 Attach the needed tubes or syringes to remove the proper volume of blood. Subscribe for the latest nursing news, offers, education resources and so much more! This can help reveal the vein. 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 Agree with other posters - ask them where they usually get stuck, heat packs, gravity, tie that tourniquet tight and give them a stress ball to squeeze. If using wet or damp washcloths, do so with caution. Perform good hand hygiene and don appropriate PPE. Maybe the number one thing that a person can do is to make sure they are well hydrated. WebPatients who are dehydrated, obese, terminally ill, or hard sticks often get their blood drawn in other locations rather than the antecubital fossa. Commercial heat-packs are best for this technique as you can choose the temperature you want. Venipuncture is a skill that takes time and practice to master. He got her first stick, and i will definately try this in the future if i have trouble. Sometimes I get lucky, sometimes I get nothing. What may be warm to you could be hot or even burn someone else. This, in turn, can cause increases in your blood pressure. While it is important to know the best veins to access its also important to know which areas to avoid. Top Student Loan Forgiveness Programs for Nurses, Top Nursing Interview Questions & Answers, How to Create a New Graduate Nurse Resume, Best White Shoes for Nurses and Nursing Students, Best Stethoscopes for Nurses and Nursing Students, How to Work in the US as a Foreign-Educated Nurse, Why Nursing is a Great Career Choice for Men. Sign up to receive the latest nursing news and exclusive offers. With vein locators, you can see where all the veins are. See which ones are available and good for drawing blood. During phlebotomy, the doctor is the one that needs to ensure everything goes well. Stay away from the palm of the hand, fingers and from the wrist area. Insert the needle into the vein. Before you start injecting needles into people, make sure to get a proper training and get used to the entire process. venipuncture is one of the main parts of your job. If none of the above options enable you to find a strong vein, you may need to find another puncture site. Big ppl are not bad to stick at all, especially the ones with edema. 0000027834 00000 n 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. 5. This is especially important for babies and small children that have the natural aversion to needles. A better vein might be available in the forearm or at the back of the hand. Try tourniquets, hot packs, gravity, and ask the patient where they usually have luck with blood draws. Premarital blood tests have been done away with. Place a tourniquet and clean the area for 30 seconds with an alcohol wipe. Phlebotomy is essential for a variety of medical diagnoses, procedures, and tests. Once blood is seen in the tubing, connect the vacutainers or use a syringe to drawback. When you are retaining water, it increases the total volume of fluid that is being pushed through your blood vessels by your heart. Utilize the combination of massage, heat, and gravity. We strive to be the Check out our list of the top non-bedside nursing careers. They dont harm the patient in any way and can be used regularly to make your job easier and safer. The nurse can take the persons blood pressure. To expedite your donation, start your RapidPass on the day of your appointment. 8, 9 Even When the body is properly hydrated, veins become more dilated. 0000180491 00000 n That's why we rely on registered nurses and other experienced healthcare Big ppl are not bad to stick at all, especially the ones with edema. My trick is to press on their hand or arm with both of my thumbs. Put ur finge The first area for venipuncture is in the antecubital fossa. If that is the case, the patient should bend arm upwards which will make the vein more visible. Learning the anatomy of the main veins and arteries in the body is essential to becoming competent in phlebotomy. Subscribe to our newsletter to be the first to know about our daily giveaways from shoes to Patagonia gear, FIGS scrubs, cash, and more! While this process is one of the more basic tasks that you will be assigned when working in a hospital, clinic, or medical practice, it can be daunting for many professionals. If the median cubital, cephalic, or basilic veins cant be found, then go to other sites on the arm. On top of that, there are a lot of individuals who fear (or dislike) going to a doctor. Once blood is seen in the tubing, connect the vacutainers or use a syringe to drawback. Many times, you will have to resort there to draw blood. Let us know if you have a preferred arm or particular vein that has been used successfully in the past to draw blood. (function() { This is a common misconception - pumping the hand does not increase venous circulation. 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. Always start by thinking that a patient is infectious and that he can spread a disease. Make sure they are feeling well before leaving. 0000036112 00000 n Often, even a loose bind can help a vein to pop. To avoid bruising, place the tourniquet over the patients shirt sleeve if drawing blood from an arm vein. Make sure that no one gets directly exposed to blood. Contact should be limited and you shouldnt place the locator on burned skin. Furthermore, they protect the nurse or healthcare professional from a potential needle stick. 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. Quiz and answer key included. Once you have located a vein, you can cause increase distention through massaging or exaggerated palpation (pressing repeatedly over the top of the vein). 0000016460 00000 n For example, the veins of a middle-aged man will likely be easier to find than that of a woman, unless shes extremely active. 0000025579 00000 n Instead of forcefully tapping the vein, it is much better if you start stroking them. It will easily increase the smaller veins. Reasons for concern would include numbness, tingling, change of color to blue or white, and extreme pain. A tourniquet should also never be left on for more than one minute. Wetting the area, followed by deep massaging or palpating will oftentimes reveal or confirm vein location. If you have specific questions, but don't want to wait, give us a call at. A second option for finding veins and drawing blood are hand veins. Obese patients, particularly those considered to be extremely obese, have reported being treated with disrespect by physicians and other medical staff. Reflecting off the subcutaneous tissue, the light colors subcutaneous and fat tissue. 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. If possible, look at areas that tend to have less subcutaneous fat, such as the back of the hand, the thumb, the wrist, and even the top of the foot. If properly inserted blood should flash into the catheter. Some jumping jacks or push-ups can make your veins pop out. Extend the arm. If possible, look at areas that tend to have less subcutaneous fat, such as the back of the hand, the thumb, the wrist, and even the top of the foot. The consent submitted will only be used for data processing originating from this website. Any time that you need blood drawn for lab work,, I'm Lou, and welcome to Phlebotomy Examiner! Veins may collapse in the process and failed attempts at blood draws lead to hematomas which bring about pain. It all depends on your preparation and equipment. 0000012097 00000 n Below are 5 key areas of importance with tips. 0000008110 00000 n They already have pain, so lets make the process easier and more comfortable for them. This is an extremely large vessel and if stuck properly can yield excellent blood results. Spend a decent amount of time looking for good veins. Try tourniquets, hot packs, gravity, and ask the patient where they usually have luck with bl 0000018898 00000 n What if I cant find a vein? Put ur fingers on the bottom of their arm and press the tops with your thumbs. However, for the elderly, it may be difficult. There are two main ways to find a vein to draw blood. You can support each other and do twice as much good! Each healthcare system has its own requirements prior to nurses performing blood draws. If the person is tense, try getting them to relax. Insert the needle through the skin at a 30-degree angle or less, with the bevel facing upwards. This is the first and crucial rule of venipuncture. The World Health Organizations (WHO) best practice guidelines for blood draws include the following: The overall purpose of establishing the guidelines is to. However, you will need a doctors permission for this. 0000001196 00000 n In fact, most of the procedures cannot be performed if you dont have a clear head on your shoulders. Doing so can help move veins and tendons away from each other increasing the likelihood for a vein to show up. No matter how a patient looks like, it is necessary for a medical professional to protect himself. go-to source for nursing news, trending topics, and educational resources. It is the first area to look for veins. Lastly, you will have to mix tubes with an anticoagulant. Insert the beveled needle at a 30-degree angle into the vessel. Average delivery time is 5-10 business days. Unfortunately, some people have difficult veins to work with due to obesity, dehydration, and a variety of other issues. Next step is explaining the procedure. Dispose of contaminated materials and needles in the designated hospital-approved containers. You may need the approval of a physician or someone else. An example of data being processed may be a unique identifier stored in a cookie. Every so often I'll go in an area where I'm not sure whether I feel anything or not, but know there's usually a vein there. For example, in a case of a patient with fragile veins, it is much better to skip a tourniquet as it may cause the vein to blow out. 6. Being able to find a usable vein quickly is crucial, and something you learn throughout your training. There's so much that a small sample of blood can tell a doctor that you'll likely need, Giving blood is vital as it saves millions of lives every year. This Some health care settings may insert blood drawing peripheral intravenous catheters into this vessel for frequent blood draws. After identifying the site for the blood draw, gather the appropriate supplies needed. Then, apply heat to the lowered arm. The site should not be warmed to a temperature higher than 42 EC. While holding patients arm, make sure that your finger is well above the insertion point. As a phlebotomist, venipuncture is one of the main parts of your job. You can do that by gently massaging the arm, from the wrist to the elbow. If a patient is reluctant or fearful, it can interfere with drawing blood. This is also called the practice of venipuncture. Doctors usually mistake if for hyperkalemia when assessing the results. Many times combining techniques can mean the difference between finding a vein or not. Maybe you have the right environment, chair, and equipment to draw from them successfully, but do you give them the respect that's often lacking in healthcare? WebWhen the patient has never had blood drawn The most important factor in controlling the spread of infection is Hand washing before and after the patient Latex sensitivity is a type of Allergic reaction The recommended vein to perform the venipuncture b/c sometimes is more superficial than other veins is called Median cubical vein

Homes For Rent In Florence, Sc No Credit Check, How Do The Aleutian Volcanoes Differ From The Cascades Volcanoes?, What Is Privacy Preserving Ad Measurement, Articles T