Question

The phlebotomist is preparing to draw blood on an elderly patient with small fragile veins and selects a needle gauge of ______.

1) 18
2) 20
3) 22
4) 24

Answer 1

The best needle gauge for an elderly patient with small, fragile veins would be a 24 gauge needle, as it is smaller and minimizes the risk of vein trauma.

Step-by-step explanation:

The appropriate needle gauge for drawing blood from an elderly patient with small, fragile veins is typically a higher number gauge, which corresponds to a smaller diameter needle. In this case, the correct choice would be either a 22 or 24 gauge needle, with 24 being the smaller of the two and often preferred for smaller veins to minimize the risk of vein trauma or collapse.

Option 1) 18 and option 2) 20 gauges would be too large for an elderly patient with small, fragile veins. In clinical practice, phlebotomists must select the appropriate needle gauge to ensure patient safety and comfort, as well as the quality of the blood sample drawn. Given the options provided, option 4) 24 gauge, would be the safest and most appropriate choice for the situation described.