Phlebototomy: The Art Of Phlebotomy

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18 June 2012 ENG 101 The Art of Phlebotomy Have you ever had to spend the night in the hospital and suffer a visit from the dreaded “vampire?” If so, you may have wondered how the phlebotomist who draws your blood is able to find your vein with their needle, especially if the vein is small and seemingly impossible to find on your own using your finger. My experience is that finding these veins, along with the entire process of phlebotomy, requires a lot of patience, training, and sometimes even luck. To understand the process of phlebotomy it is important to first become familiarized with the necessary equipment. The first…show more content…
To draw blood effectively, a phlebotomist must understand which of these gauges to use based on a patients vein type. Some patients may have shallow, small veins, while some may have large, deep veins. For these small veins, a 25 gauge needle is used because it is the smallest diameter of all, and is a pediatric needle used to draw blood from children and people with extremely small veins. Next, the 23 gauge is slightly larger in diameter and should be used on patients with average sized veins. Finally, the 22 and 21 gauge needles are the largest should be used on patients with extremely large and deep veins. In addition to the proper gauge needle, additional supplies will be needed for the phlebotomy. These include cotton balls, gloves, alcohol wipes, a non- latex tournique, and the correct draw tubes. It is important to gather all of your supplies that you will need for the blood draw and take them to the patient's bedside with you so that they will be within easy reaching distance once the vein has been punctured. However, knowing which tubes to bring to the beside depends on the tests ordered by the doctor. There are…show more content…
Blue top tubes are generally used for coagulation tests such as the PTT and PT, and lavender top tubes are best for tests such as the complete blood count, sedimentation rate, and the BNP. After choosing the correct tubes and gathering the remaining supplies, it is time to begin the actual phlebotomy procedure. Upon walking in the patient’s room, a phlebotomist should correctly identify the patient by visually checking the hospital bracelet and verbally confirming the name and date of birth. Then, the phlebotomist can begin looking at a patient’s arm to determine which size needle to use to draw blood into certain tubes. To begin, you should choose an arm and tie your tourniquet 2- 3 inches above the anticubital fossa (the bend of the arm). Next, Palpate for a vein by using your first finger. If no veins are palpable, have the patient make a tight fist and feel for a vein again, or try the other arm. If the vein feels suitable, disinfect the area with an alcohol wipe. It is important not touch the site again to prevent contamination unless you have

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