Question

The tourniquet should be left on the patients arm for no longer than

A) 30 seconds
B) 60 seconds
C) 90 seconds
D) 120 seconds

Answer 1

The correct answer is B) 60 seconds. The tourniquet should be applied to the patient's arm for no more than 60 seconds to avoid alterations in blood flow and test results.

Step-by-step explanation:

The tourniquet should be left on the patient's arm for no longer than 60 seconds. Exceeding this time can lead to changes in blood flow and can potentially alter test results due to the stasis of blood, concentration of cells, and changes in analyte concentration. It is crucial to minimize the tourniquet time to ensure accurate laboratory results and to prevent harm or discomfort to the patient. In practice, this timeframe is sufficient for most healthcare professionals to find a vein and draw the necessary amount of blood for testing.