Copyright ©2012 Delmar, Cengage Learning. All rights reserved. Chapter 43 Blood Specimen Collection

Copyright ©2012 Delmar, Cengage Learning. All rights reserved.

Chapter 43

Blood Specimen Collection


Capillary Puncture

• Skin puncture or finger puncture– Obtain blood from just

under the surface of the skin

– Ideal for tests requiring only a small amount of blood


Sites for Capillary Puncture

• Ring finger• Great finger• Lateral sides of the heel on infants


Performing the Capillary Puncture

• Sterile lancet device is used• Make skin puncture across the fingerprints,

not parallel to them


Venipuncture

• Surgical puncture of a vein, also called phlebotomy


Site Selection

• Sites for venipuncture– Most common: the inner

arm at the bend of the elbow

– Back of the palm (for difficult draw)

• Swab area with alcohol


Applying the Tourniquet

• Tourniquets promote palpation and sometimes visual position of the veins

• Apply three inches above the intended venipuncture site

• Do not leave on patient longer than 1 minute


Preparing the Patient

• Explain the procedure and answer any patient questions

• Patient instructions– Explain that there will be minimal pain and/or

discomfort, which usually subsides quickly– Relaxing will help speed up the procedure


Venipuncture Methods

• Vacuum tube and sterile needle– Most popular method of collection– 21-23 gauge needle is generally used– Blood specimen enter directly into test tubes



• Sterile needle and syringe– Used when patient has small veins– Usually a 10-20 mL syringe is used



• Butterfly – Used for difficult draws– A smaller gauge needle is used– The tourniquet is applied just above the wrist


Collection Tubes

• Red-stoppered tubes– Range from 3 to 15 mL– Used for whole blood

collection and allowed to clot

– After clotting, blood is spun and serum poured off

• Red/black stoppered tubes– SST separates red cells from serum


Collection Tubes

• Lavender-stoppered tubes– Contain EDTA– Range from 5 to 10 mL– Used in whole blood collection

• Gray-stoppered tubes– Contains oxylate– Usually 5 mL– Used in blood glucose test


Collection Tubes

• Blue-stoppered tubes– Usually 5 mL– Used for testing prothrombin times– Must be completely full

• Green-stoppered tubes– Contains heparin– Usually 5 mL– Used to determine several chemical constituents


Order of Draw

• Yellow• Blue• Red/ Red Black• Green• Lavender• Gray


Documentation for Specimen Collection

• Lab request form must be completed, sent with specimens, and listed in log book– Date collected– Patient’s full name, DOB, or records number– Date sent to lab– Test(s) requested– Date results received– Test results

Documents

Copyright ©2012 Delmar, Cengage Learning. All rights reserved. Chapter 43 Blood Specimen Collection