The Unofficial Phlebotomy Home Page takes no responsibility for any harm, good, damage, healing, pain, enjoyment, suffering, glory, or other result of the following directions, as I did not write them. For additional resources on phlebotomy procedures, order of draw, etc., visit the Internet Pathology Laboratory's Phlebotomy Procedure page.

Also available from BUY.COM: Phlebotomy Handbook: Blood Collection Essentials

Proper Venipuncture Technique Using  the Multisample Vacutainer System:

Reference: Becton Dickinson Trade Information # 10967

General Instructions:

1. Open needle package but do not remove needle shield.  Thread needle onto holder.  If drawing sterile sample, use sterile holder/needle combination.
2. Select tube or tubes appropriate for samples desired.  If a sterile specimen is required, use a sterile VACUTAINER Tube.  When collecting sterile samples, observe proper skin preperation directions.
3. Tubes that contain additives should be gently tapped to dislodge any additive which may be trapped around the stopper.
4. Inster tube into holder.  Push tube sropper onto needle until leading edge of stopper meetes guideline of holder.  Tubes will retract slightly.  LEAVE IN THIS POSITION. When using 13mm diameter tubes, it is important to center the tubes in the holder when penetrating the stopper, to preclude sidewall penetration and resultant loss of volume.
5. Select site for venipuncture.
6. Apply tourniquet.  Prepare venipuncutre site with an appropriate antiseptic.  DO NOT PALPATE VENIPUNCTURE SITE AFTER CLEANSING.
7. Place patient's arm in a downward position.
8. Remove needle shield.  Perform venipuncture with arm in a downard prosition and tube stopper uppermost.  (see diagram)
9. Push tube onto holder, puncturing diaphragm of stopper.
10. REMOVE TOURNIQUET AS SOON AS BLOOD APPEAR IN TUBE.  DO NOT ALLOW CONTENTS OF TUBE TO CONTACT THE STOPPER OR THE END OF THE NEEDLE DURING PROCEDURE.  If no blood flows into tube or ceases to flow before an adequate sample is collected, the following steps are suggested to complete satisfactory collection:
    • Confirm correct position of needle cannula in vein;
    • If a multuple sample needle is being used, remove the tube and place a new tube into the holder;
    • If the second tube does not draw, remove needle and discard in approriate disposal device. Repeat procedure from Step 1.
11. When first tube is full and blood flow ceases, remove it from holder.
12. Place suvveeding tubes in holder, puncturing diaphragm to initiate flow.  Tubes without additives are drawn before tubes with additives.
13. While each successive tube is filling, invert the previous tube containing additives 8-10 times. DO NOT SHAKE.  Vigorous mixing can cause hemolysis.
14. As soon as blood stops flowing in the last tube, remove needle from vein, apply pressure to puncture site with dry, sterile swab, until bleeding stops.
15. Apply bandage if desired.
16. After the venipuncture, the top of the stopper may contain residual blood at the puncture site.  Proper precautions should be take when handling tubes to avoid contact with blood droplet.  Dispose of any holder that becomes contaminated with blood.
17. Needle Disposal:  After venipuncture, dispose of needle using appropriate disposal device. DO NOT RESHIELD.  If breakage of a tube containing a collected sample should occur, avoid all contance the exposed skin and follow proper pocesdures for the cleanup and disposal of infectious waste.

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