Maybe we always read about acupunture, the traditional health method but have you heard about venipuncture?Like you, I’ve never heard about venipuncture before. So I’ll share what I’ve learn about venipuncture :-
What is Venipuncture
Venipuncture is the collection of blood from a vein, usually for laboratory testing. (MedlinePlus).
How to Perform Venipuncture
Hand position: When collecting blood from a hand vein, it is best practice to position the patient’s hand slightly downward with the top of the hand facing you. The fingers of the patient’s hand should be rolled underneath, forming a loose fist. Use your thumb to pull back gently on the surface of the skin, making the skin taut. The vein should be anchored adequately to proceed with venipuncture. The hand veins will be more prominent if the patient grips a pillow or a rolled up washcloth.
Quick Guide to Venipuncture, Revised Printing
Tourniquet Position: The tourniquet should always be applied 3 – 4 inches above the needle insertion point. Therefore, when assessing for a usable vein in a hand, apply the tourniquet 1 – 2 inches above the wrist. If the tourniquet is on longer than one minute, release and reapply prior to venipuncture to avoid hemoconcentration.
(Medialab )
Cautions:
Choose a straight section of the hand vein– avoid the “intersection” or “V” where a vein branches into another vein. This juncture may contain a valve and could be damaged if punctured.
Only use the top of a hand or thumb-side of the wrist for puncture. Avoid the fingers or the underside of the wrist. This will prevent the inadvertent puncture of hidden arteries, tendons or nerves in the area.
Okay, as I’ve finished searching about ‘venipuncture’ I know that I won’t do it. Let’s the expert do this. It is not all people can do..