Blood collection is one of the procedures one does in diagnosing, as well as treatment and follow-up care of many medical conditions. This report discusses different methods applied for blood collection techniques, from the applications, procedures, and advantages, to potential disadvantages. Healthcare providers ought to know the methods so blood can be collected correctly and safely, thus improving the outcome for patients eventually.
Blood testing is one of the most common diagnostic techniques in the medical field. They are useful in the diagnosis of diseases, monitoring of disease conditions, and evaluation of treatment responses. Reliable blood collection is one of the medical competencies since it promises reliable test results.
Blood can be drawn from arterial, capillary, and venipuncture punctures. All the techniques mentioned above have varied applications, procedures, and considerations in different clinical situations as dictated by the needs of a patient.
These requirements and the tests he needs to undergo, as well as the amount of blood he needs to collect, will influence the method of collection chosen. In addition, the state of his body and the age of the patient have an impact on the method chosen. Healthcare professionals must consider all these aspects to make the right choice.
It is advisable in laboratory tests such as metabolic panels, blood cultures, and blood counts. It is preferred if more blood is needed or when specific tests require venous blood.
The process of venipuncture includes only a few basic steps, 1) Preparation All equipment required, including collection tubes, alcohol swabs, gloves, and needles must be prepared. 2) Patient Identification The patient's identity should be confirmed, and he or she should be informed before seeking consent for the procedure. 3) Site Selection Probe techniques have to be employed before selecting the appropriate vein; preferably the one in the antecubital fossa. 4) Cleaning Use an alcohol swab to clean out the area one is preparing with it to prevent infection. 5) Puncture Attach the collection tube to the vein and then push in the needle at an adequate angle of 15 to 30 degrees to obtain blood. 6) Termination After collection of the desired amount, withdraw the needle, apply pressure over the site, and dispose appropriately.
Venipuncture would be appropriate for various tests as it can avail bigger volumes of blood. It produces a relatively stable sample, besides being less susceptible to capillary circulation, in comparison with other techniques, which may be affected by capillary circulation.
Capillary blood collection is thus resorted to when venipuncture is not feasible, such as on newborns, or small children, or when access to the patient's veins is poor. It is also used in glucose monitoring at the point-of-care level and even at home.
The steps of capillary blood collection are the following: 1) Preparation: Collection devices, alcohol swabs, and lancets need to be prepared. 2) Patient preparation: Patient preparation should first be assured to minimize pain during the process. Inform him or his caregiver of the procedure, if necessary. 3) Site selection: A puncture site selected appropriately is primarily heel or fingertip as mentioned above. 4) Preparation: Clean the site with the help of an alcohol swab; allow it to dry. 5) Penetration: Allow the lancet to penetrate the skin as early as possible and take one drop of blood. 6) Collection: Take the sample of blood from the capillary tube or filter paper.
Capillary blood collection is faster and non-invasive compared to venipuncture; it should also be considered preferably for sampling from small children. It is applicable for point-of-care testing.
Blood sample collection must not cause infection. Proper aseptic preventive measures which include care related to hand-washing and sterile equipment must be present to maximize reduced risks from infection.
Patients should be rendered comfortable during venipunctures. Health professionals need to consider the levels of anxiety associated with the patients besides the effective communication and reassurance of the patients. Getting into an appropriate position and removing pain can enhance the whole experience.
With the labeling of blood samples, there also comes with it the very important requirement to ensure that no error occurs in the collection of the specimens from blood specimen collection by avoiding confusion between samples. Then proper analysis would be assured if all samples are promptly labeled after collection and if proper documentation is done with important patient data.
Since blood carries information that is very vital in the diagnosis and treatment of diseases, a gathering of blood has been incorporated into clinical practice. Healthcare providers should be aware of the various techniques for gathering blood and the indications and proper procedures for each. Those clinicians aware of the proper procedures and mindful of safety and comfort first would help raise their standard of care and improve patient outcomes in this field.