Venipuncture Procedures Flashcards

During a venipuncture, the patient complains of a sharp, radiating pain down their arm. The phlebotomist notes that blood is filling the tube slowly. What is the most probable cause of this situation?

Answer: The needle has likely contacted a nerve.

A sharp, shooting, or radiating pain is a classic sign of nerve contact or injury. While arterial puncture causes bright red, pulsating blood flow and hematoma formation causes swelling and bruising, neither typically presents with radiating pain. A bevel against the vein wall would impede flow but not cause this type of pain. The procedure should be stopped immediately if nerve injury is suspected.

A phlebotomist needs to perform a venipuncture on a patient with an active IV line in the right forearm. Which of the following is the appropriate site selection for the blood draw?

Answer: The left arm, preferably in the antecubital fossa.

To avoid contamination of the blood sample with IV fluid, the best practice is to use the opposite arm. Drawing below the IV is an acceptable alternative if the other arm is not available, but it is not the preferred first choice. Drawing above an IV site is contraindicated as it will contaminate the specimen with the infusate.

While performing a venipuncture, a hematoma begins to form at the site. Which of the following is the phlebotomist's immediate and most critical course of action?

Answer: Release the tourniquet, remove the needle, and apply firm pressure.

The immediate priority is to stop the blood from leaking into the surrounding tissue. This is achieved by releasing the tourniquet to reduce venous pressure, removing the needle to stop the source of the leak, and applying firm, direct pressure to the site to promote clotting.

A competent adult patient verbally refuses to have their blood drawn after the phlebotomist has explained the procedure. What is the most appropriate action for the phlebotomist to take?

Answer: Respect the patient's decision, document the refusal, and notify the nurse or physician.

Patients have the right to refuse any medical procedure. The phlebotomist must respect the patient's autonomy. The proper protocol is to not proceed with the draw, document the refusal in the patient's record, and inform the ordering physician or the patient's nurse.

When collecting blood cultures, which of the following steps is crucial for preventing contamination of the specimen with skin flora?

Answer: Cleansing the bottle tops and the venipuncture site with an appropriate antiseptic.

The most critical step to prevent contamination in blood culture collection is meticulous skin and equipment preparation. This involves thoroughly cleansing the venipuncture site, often with chlorhexidine or a similar antiseptic, and disinfecting the rubber septa of the culture bottles to eliminate surface bacteria that could cause a false-positive result.

Which of the following venipuncture sites should be avoided because of its close proximity to the brachial artery and median nerve?

Answer: Basilic vein

The basilic vein, located on the medial (inner) side of the antecubital fossa, lies in close proximity to the brachial artery and the median nerve. Puncturing this area carries a higher risk of accidental arterial puncture or nerve injury, making it a less desirable choice compared to the median cubital or cephalic veins.