Question

Venipuncture Problems

2. Inappropriate Puncture Site
A. It is beyond the scope of practice for a phlebotomist to do anything outside phlebotomy, i.e. you should not stop a patient I.V. in order to collect a sample, that is considered medically treating a patient and would be outside the scope of practice. Furthermore, once the nurse or other charge has stopped the I.V. so a draw may be performed, the phlebotomist must wait ________ minutes to collect a sample in order to give the I.V. solution time to _______ throughout the body evenly.
D. _______- if a patient has had a ___________, avoid drawing from the associated arm (left ________, no draws from left arm). in the case of a double ___________ draw blood from the foot if possible or consult the patient's nurse or physician. you may also draw from the opposite arm and hand.

Answer 1

Phlebotomists must wait a specified number of minutes after an I.V. is stopped before drawing blood to allow even distribution of the solution in the body. They should avoid venipuncture on the same side as a mastectomy and consult healthcare team for alternative sites in case of double mastectomies.

Step-by-step explanation:

The question pertains to the appropriate practices for phlebotomists, particularly around issues involving venipuncture and the selection of puncture sites. Phlebotomists are trained health professionals responsible for drawing blood, primarily via venipuncture.

It is outside the scope of their practice to perform tasks such as stopping a patient's I.V. That responsibility lies with a nurse or other qualified medical professional.

After the I.V. has been stopped, the phlebotomist must wait for a certain number of minutes before performing the venipuncture to allow the I.V. solution to distribute evenly throughout the body.

In cases where a patient has undergone a mastectomy, the phlebotomist should avoid drawing blood from the arm on the same side as the surgery to prevent complications such as lymphedema.

The same caution applies to patients who have undergone double mastectomies, wherein the phlebotomist may need to consider alternative sites like the foot or consult with the healthcare team for guidance.