Venipuncture

During a venipuncture, the patient becomes pale, sweating excessively, and has a glassy stare. Your patient is likely experiencing:

• nerve damage

• syncope

• diaphoresis

• none of the above

You do not see a flashback of blood after inserting the needle into a patient's vein. Your next course of action should be:

• Pull back on the needle very slightly and move the needle side to side.

• pull back on the needle very slightly, re-palpate for the vein, and move needle from side to side.

• Pull back on the needle very slightly, re-palpate for the vein, and move closer to the vein.

• Pull back on the vein very slightly, re-palpate, and move closer the the needle.

If blood flow stops during venipuncture, the phlebotomy technician should:

• slightly re-adjust needle

• try another vacutainer tube

• anticipate vein collapse

• all of the above

The possible signs of nerve damage include all of the except:

• dizziness

• severe pain

• numbness

• tingling

Phlebitis is:

• inflammation of the artery

• infection in the vein

• infection in an artery

• inflammation of a vein

A blood clot in a vein is called:

• phlebitis

• platelet

• thrombosis

• hemoconcentration

Collection and processing errors are more common than physical complications of venipuncture:

• True

• False

Small red dots on the skin caused by abnormal platelet levels is considered:

• thrombosis

• hemoconcentration

• leukemia

• petechiae

If a patient begins seizing during a venipuncture, the phlebotomy technician should:

• Stop the procedure STAT

• Call for medical assistance/911

• Document the time of the incident

• all of the above

Blood tubes requiring inversion, should be inverted gently 3-8 times immediately after collection because:

• shaking tubes can cause hemolysis

• falsely elevated potassium levels can occur

• high iron levels can occur

• all of the above