Today it is impossible to imagine medicine without biochemical studies of serum or blood plasma, since the tests performed are more informative for doctors than the patient's complaints and well-being. Almost immediately after applying for help at the clinic or admitting for treatment to the hospital, the doctor prescribes studies of this kind. However, obtaining reliable data regarding the patient’s state of health is based not only on modern equipment and high-quality reagents of medical laboratories. Of great importance is the proper collection of blood from a vein. The algorithm of manipulation and preparation of the patient for the collection of biological fluids are of paramount importance in the diagnosis and further appointment of the correct treatment.
Study preparation
Do not immediately after a conversation with your doctor run to the biochemical laboratory or manipulation room to donate blood. Most likely, they will not take anything in the manipulation room, as it is necessary to undergo a little preparation in order to conduct blood sampling from the peripheral vein. The algorithm of this preparation is as follows. On the eve of the manipulation should not be very tight dinner.
Food should be light, and dinner should be no later than 19 or 20 pm. Too dense, fatty, spicy food can change the biochemical parameters of blood, which can lead to incorrect results. In addition, in the morning, before the study itself, you should not have breakfast, as blood is given on an empty stomach.
Equipment necessary for blood sampling from a vein
Depending on what equipment will be used for blood sampling, the list of necessary materials may vary, since the technique for taking blood from a vein is somewhat different. The manipulation algorithm remains almost the same. When sampling with an ordinary syringe, you will need:
- harness;
- cotton or cotton swabs;
- antiseptic (70% alcohol);
- disposable sterile syringe;
- sterile medical tray;
- napkins;
- medical clothing;
- test tubes.
If the algorithm for blood sampling from a vein is performed using a vacuum system, the need for tubes and a disposable sterile syringe disappears. In addition, the handling room should include: a chair for the patient, a refrigerator, racks for installing test tubes.
General rules for preparing for the blood sampling procedure
Before venipuncture is performed, an algorithm for collecting blood from a vein should be reported to medical personnel. Before performing the practical part, you need to wash your hands, which is mandatory for observing hygiene rules. After this, a bathrobe and other protective medical clothing should be worn. After the medical staff is ready for the procedure, a patient is invited to the manipulation room. The direction for blood sampling is recorded, and the patient's identity is also made. After this, the forthcoming procedure is explained, the patient is seated in a chair, the necessary equipment is prepared and the procedure for venipuncture is transferred.
Venipuncture site preparation
After all the equipment is prepared, the nurse proceeds to perform the blood sampling manipulation. For this, the ulnar vein is most often used (due to its surface location and accessibility). You must select the proposed location for the puncture, examine it and palpate the vessel. After this, apply a tourniquet above the site of the intended puncture. The tourniquet must be applied so that it does not squeeze arterial vessels, and the outflow of blood through the veins stops. Next, you should ask the patient to squeeze the hand several times into a fist to increase blood flow. If, for any reason, the patient cannot squeeze his hand into a fist, a warm heating pad can be applied to the proposed venipuncture site. Heat will help dilate blood vessels and increase blood flow.
After they carry out the disinfection of the puncture site. To do this, using a sterile gauze or cotton swab in a circular motion directed from the center to the periphery, the skin surface is treated. Processing is performed twice and wait for the antiseptic solution to dry completely. After treatment, palpation of the venous vessel is not performed.
Algorithm for taking blood from a vein with a disposable syringe
For the procedure, prepare the necessary equipment and open the syringe. In this case, the packaging with the syringe is held in the left hand with the transparent side facing down with its nose. An autopsy is performed by instantly tearing the paper part on the plunger of the syringe with the movement of the right hand from itself. Then, without completely removing the syringe from the package, put on an injection needle. To do this, take the product by the piston and side ears and insert it into the needle. After the injection needle is put on the nozzle of the syringe, the packaging can be completely removed.
The protective cover is removed from the needle and a puncture of the vein is performed. At the moment the needle penetrates the vessel, there is a sensation of falling into the void, and a small amount of blood appears in the nose of the syringe. The position of the needle is controlled by pulling the piston toward itself, while venous blood must enter the syringe. Next, the algorithm for performing blood sampling from a vein is as follows. If blood enters, the position of the syringe and needle relative to the vessel is fixed, and slowly continue to pull the piston toward you until you get the right amount of blood. After that, the tourniquet is removed and the syringe and needle are removed from the vessel. The puncture site is pressed with a sterile cotton or gauze swab dipped in an antiseptic solution.
At the same time, the patient is asked to bend the arm at the elbow joint. The needle from the syringe is discharged into a container, and blood is poured over the wall into a test tube. After all the blood is in the test tube, the syringe is thrown into a container with a disinfectant. Summing up the above, it is necessary to say that if blood sampling from a vein is performed, the algorithm of action and skills should be perfectly worked out in theory and in practice.
Algorithm for blood sampling from a vein using a vacuum system
Today, technological progress, including in medicine, does not stand still. Instead of an ordinary syringe, blood can be drawn from a vein using a vacuum system. In this case, the algorithm is not very different from that during blood sampling using a syringe. During blood sampling using a vacuum system, a puncture needle is prepared and inserted into the holder. Grasping the patient’s forearm with his left hand 3-5 cm below the intended site of needle insertion, stretch the skin and produce venipuncture. In this case, the needle along with the holder is inserted at an approximate angle of 15 degrees.
If it enters a vein, blood appears in the needle’s indicator chamber. After that, the tubes are installed in the holder and blood is drawn from the vein by a vacuum system. The algorithm is as follows: the position of the needle and holder in the vessel is fixed, and with the right hand by pressing on the bottom of the tube, it is installed in the holder. If the test tube is working properly, after installation, blood begins to flow into it.
After filling, the tube is removed from the holder. When taking blood in several tubes, it is necessary to observe the correct sequence of filling. At the end of the blood sampling procedure, the needle with the holder is removed, a sterile cloth moistened with an antiseptic is applied to the puncture site, or a bactericidal patch is glued .
Test tubes for blood sampling are marked accordingly: they indicate the name and surname of the patient, his age and identification number. In the case of using an automated system for biochemical analysis, an identifying barcode is glued to the tube. Thus, the algorithm for blood sampling from a vein by a vacuinter looks like this.
It should be noted that, as in the case of blood sampling using a syringe, as soon as the vein is punctured and blood begins to flow into the syringe or tube, the tension of the tourniquet should be loosened. Prolonged compression can lead to changes not only in the protein and electrolyte composition of the blood, but also in the coagulation and gas composition. When conducting a vacuum blood sampling from a vein for the first time, the algorithm of actions must be debugged on the model for training in order to prevent errors in the process of real execution.
Blood sampling in children
The algorithm for taking blood from a vein in children does not differ from that in adults. The only thing that should be considered when carrying out such manipulations is that children are in every way afraid of such procedures. Therefore, if blood sampling in children is carried out constantly, care must be taken about the presence of distractions for the child (for example, bright and colorful toys or multimedia panels). When switching attention, the child will not focus on the events that are happening.
Complications arising from blood sampling from a vein
Particular attention during venipuncture should be paid to possible complications after the procedure. To avoid them, you must carefully adhere to the rules of asepsis and antiseptics, as well as clearly follow the venepuncture algorithm. Only a strict adherence to the algorithm will help to avoid hematomas and the occurrence of infectious and inflammatory processes at the injection site.
Conclusion
The observed algorithm for blood sampling from a vein is the key not only to the absence of complications after the venipuncture procedure itself, but also to obtain reliable results of biochemical studies.