Perform the skin puncture.
Place the puncture device on the patient’s skin and activate the release mechanism. For infants, the heel puncture should be no deeper than 2.0 mm.Wipe the first drop of blood away with dry gauze.Grasp the foot or finger between the thumb and first finger and apply gentle pressure.
What type of blood do you collect from a dermal puncture?
Phlebotomists and point-of-care instrument operators (laboratory, nursing and respiratory therapy personnel) frequently need to perform dermal punctures to collect capillary blood specimens for testing.
What is an appropriate site for dermal puncture?
Recommended skin puncture sites are the finger for adult patients and older children and the heel for infants and younger children.
Will a dermal puncture cause pain to the patient?
However, if the puncture is not performed correctly, or an approved site is not used, the puncture may cause more discomfort, or even injury to the patient.
What equipment is needed for a dermal puncture?
Plastic microcollection devices: Plastic microcollection devices are small plastic tubes designed to collect capillary blood from a dermal puncture wound. Each small collection tube is color-coded in the same manner as blood collection tubes used for venipuncture.
What are the different dermal puncture complications?
Complications that can arise in capillary sampling include:
collapse of veins if the tibial artery is lacerated from puncturing the medial aspect of the heel;osteomyelitis of the heel bone (calcaneus) (68);nerve damage if the fingers of neonates are punctured (69);
What is the difference between venipuncture and capillary puncture?
Capillary blood sampling is becoming a common way to minimize the amount of blood drawn from a patient. The 10 or 20 microliters can be used to look for anemia, check blood sugar or even to evaluate thyroid function. The procedure is easier and less painful than traditional venipuncture which draws blood from a vein.
What are the disadvantages of skin puncture?
Risks
Excessive bleeding.Fainting or feeling lightheaded.Infection (a slight risk any time the skin is broken)Scarring (occurs when there have been multiple punctures in the same area)Calcified nodules (sometimes occurs in infants, but usually disappear by 30 months of age)
Why is skin puncture performed?
Skin Puncture technique is used to obtain blood specimens when venipuncture or other collection methods are not appropriate. Blood specimens obtained by skin puncture are especially important in pediatrics, because small but adequate amounts of blood for laboratory tests can be obtained with this technique.
For which blood tests is dermal puncture not recommended?
Capillary punctures are not suitable for blood culture testing and most coagulation tests.
How deep does a lancet puncture the skin?
A lancet is a small blade that can pierce 2 to 4 millimeters into the skin.
When should a fingerstick not be performed?
Fingerstick on a newborn or young infant
Dermal punctures must never be performed on the fingers of a newborn or very young infant (usually defined as under 6-months-old and weighing less than 10 kg). There is very little distance between the skin and the bone.
Why a phlebotomist should be honest?
blindly, vein damage may occur and scar tissue may form, making venipuncture more difficult. Pain The phlebotomist should always be honest with the patient and If the phlebotomist is not honest with the patient and does explain that there will be a small amount of pain.
Which sites should you avoid for venipuncture?
VENIPUNCTURE SITE SELECTION:
Certain areas are to be avoided when choosing a site: Extensive scars from burns and surgery – it is difficult to puncture the scar tissue and obtain a specimen. The upper extremity on the side of a previous mastectomy – test results may be affected because of lymphedema.
