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Capillary punctures

QuestionAnswer
Describe the recommended boundaries/area to perform capillary puncture from an infant patient • Plantar surface of the heel, • Medial to an imaginary line extending from middle of big toe to the heel OR • Lateral to an imaginary line extending from between the 4th and 5th toe to the heel
What is the rationale for: Do not puncture fingers of children under one year old Amount of skin between skin surface and bone is so small that bone injury is likely
What is the rationale for: Do not puncture the index finger It is more sensitive, therefore more painful, and is more calloused
What is the rationale for: Do not puncture the thumb It has a pulse and the skin is thick and calloused
What is the rationale for: Do not puncture the side or tip of the finger The distance between skin and bone is half as much as the tissue between the fleshy central portion of the finger
What is the rationale for: Do not puncture parallel to the grooves of the finger prints Makes blood collection difficult, as blood does not form a rounded drop
What is the rationale for: Do not puncture the “pinky”/ little finger Tissue between skin and bone is thinnest in this finger, making bone injury more likely
Do not puncture the posterior curve of the heel because: The bone can be as little as 1mm deep - bone injury
Do not puncture in the arch of the foot because: Arteries, nerves and tendons may be damaged
List 4 blood tests that cannot be performed by skin puncture • ESR • Blood culture • Coagulation studies • Tests requiring larger volumes of serum or plasma
Describe THREE ways you can prevent a capillary specimen from haemolysing during collection Don't excessively squeeze or milk the puncture site to obtain blood. Allow alcohol to air dry completely before making a puncture. Don't prick a haematoma site or swollen site. Wipe away the first drop of blood to prevent tissue fluid contamination
Explain the technique errors that could make the collection of capillary blood difficult •Didn't warm site •Didn't allow alcohol 2dry •Didn't make proper cut •Didn't squeeze correct •Didn't release 2 allow capillaries 2 fill •Didn't wipe away plts from edge of wound •Didn't cut across finger print •Didn’t lower heel to help blood flow
Explain rules to consider when collecting a dermal sample for a newborn metabolic screening test using a Guthrie card •Filter paper mustn't touch heel •A large drop of blood must completely fill each of the demarcated circle •Blood to soak through both sides of paper •Allow specimen to air-dry before packing •Don't contaminate card with gloves, fingers, alcohol
List causes of how a phlebotomist could potentially infect a dermal puncture site • Use of non-sterile or contaminated equipment • Poor aseptic technique • Using an infected site • Using a previously punctured site
Where would you perform a capillary puncture on an adult? Palmer surface of the distal/ end segment, on the fleshy pad of the middle and ring finger of non-dominant hand perpendicular to whorls of the fingerprint
When doing a heel puncture: Do not puncture any deeper than 2mm because Deeper punctures risk injuring bone even in the safest puncture areas
When doing a heel puncture: Do not puncture severely bruised areas It is painful, and impaired circulation or by-products of healing can negatively affect the specimen
When doing a heel puncture: Do not puncture through previous puncture sites This can be painful and can spread infection
When doing a heel puncture: Do not puncture a site that is swollen Excess tissue fluid in the area could contaminate the specimen
When doing a heel puncture: Do not puncture areas between imaginary boundaries The calcaneus may be as little as 2mm deep in that area
List nine finger prick sites that are not recommended and explain why the site is not recommended •fingertip-close2bone •Parallel2fingerprints-no round drop •Index finger-hard skin, sensitive •Little finger-less tissue •Infantsfingers-less tissue •Thumb–pulse •Oedematous–tissue fluid •Previously punct–old blood •Infected–infect •Mastectomy-
Describe ways you can cause a capillary specimen to haemolyse during collection •Excessive squeezing of puncture site or “milking” site to obtain enough blood. •The presence of Isopropyl 70% alcohol on the skin i.e. the skin was not allowed to dry before it was punctured •Pricking a haematoma site •Scraping tube against the skin
Describe a common cause of bruising a patient during a capillary puncture Squeezing the site too hard
Name problems that may happen if you repeatedly collect capillary specimens from the same site • The site may become infected • It is more painful for the patient • Old blood will get into the sample giving an incorrect result
Explain why you cannot collect capillary blood from an oedematous site Because the tissue fluid will dilute the sample and give erroneous results
When obtaining a capillary sample for a newborn screening test, care must be taken not to contaminate the Guthri card with........? Glove powder....Urine from the infants diaper.....Alcohol Residue
Why may coagulation studies not be performed on dermal blood? Because puncturing the skin releases tissue thromboplastin which activates the coagulation process and will negatively affect coagulation results
List indications for dermal puncture in adults • Fragile veins • POC • Intense fear of needles • No access to veins • Pt has clot forming tendencies • Several unsuccessful venipuncture’s
Briefly describe the composition of capillary blood Is a mixture of both venous and arterial blood
What is the acceptable age group for doing dermal/heel prick on babies? Birth to 1 year old
Explain how the patients arm needs to be positioned prior to dermal puncture • the arm must be supported on a firm surface • with the hand extended and palm facing up
List the order of draw for the dermal puncture procedure • Blood gas (if requested) • EDTA • Other additive tubes • Gel/ non additive tubes
Name one tube that may not be used in dermal puncture AND give your reason • Citrate tube/ blue top tube • Because you may not obtain blood for coagulation studies by dermal puncture. As soon as a dermal cut is made, tissue thromboplastin will be released & activate the coagulation cascade - influencing any coagulation results
List items of equipment you would assemble in preparation for a dermal puncture procedure •Warming device •70% Isopropyl alcohol •gauze •adhesive plaster •Capillary tubes •Lancet •Microtainer tubes •POC device
Why is it important to warm the site prior to dermal puncture? Increases blood flow by 7 fold
Give the reason for wiping away the first drop of blood when doing a dermal puncture • Prevents contamination of tissue fluid and residual alcohol
What could the consequence be to puncturing the heel bone of a baby? Osteomyelitis/ osteochondritis
Where in relation to the whorls of the finger print must the puncture be made with the lancet? Give the reason for your answer • Perpendicular to the whorls • To facilitate a rounded drop of blood to form, thus making collection easier
Explain rules to consider when collecting a dermal sample for a newborn metabolic screening test using a Guthrie card •filter paper must not touch the heel •A large drop of blood must completely fill each demarcated circle •blood must soak through both sides of paper •specimen to air-dry before packing •Dont contaminate card with gloves, fingers, alcohol
Created by: cisca
 

 



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