MLSP LAB VENI

• Needles used in venipuncture include:

  • Multisample needles
  • Hypodermic needles
  • Winged blood collection needles
  • Needles are sterile, disposable, and used only once
  • Needle size varies by both length and gauge
  • Routine venipuncture uses 1-inch and 1.5-inch lengths
  • Needle gauge refers to the diameter of the needle bore
  • Needles range from large (16-gauge) for blood transfusion to small (23-gauge) for small veins
  • The smaller the gauge number, the larger the diameter of the needle
• Multisample needles have a stopper puncturing needle covered by a rubber sheath that retracts when a tube is attached and covers the needle fully when the tube is removed to prevent blood leakage
• Needle holders are made of rigid plastic and may act as a safety shield for the used needle
• Needle disposal systems include rigid, puncture-resistant, leak-proof disposable "sharps" containers labeled BIOHAZARD that are easily sealed and locked when full
• Collection tubes used in venipuncture include evacuated tubes and Vacutainers
• Advantages of using syringes in venipuncture:

  • Phlebotomists can control suction pressure by slowly withdrawing the syringe plunger
  • Blood appears in the hub of the needle when the vein is successfully entered
• Blood drawn in a syringe is immediately transferred to appropriate evacuated tubes to prevent clot formation
• Blood transfer devices provide a safe means for blood transfer without using the syringe needle or removing the tube stopper

  • It is an evacuated tube holder with a rubber-sheathed needle inside
  • After blood collection, the syringe tip is inserted into the hub of the device, and evacuated tubes are filled by pushing them onto the rubber-sheathed needle
• Winged blood collection sets, also known as "Butterflies," are used for IV fluid infusion and venipuncture in small or fragile veins, often in children and the geriatric population
• Tourniquets are used during venipuncture to make it easier to locate patients' veins
• Puncture site protection supplies include:

  • 70% isopropyl alcohol for cleansing the skin
  • 2x2-inch gauze pads for applying pressure to the puncture site after needle removal
  • Cotton balls are not recommended for applying pressure as their fibers can stick to the site and cause bleeding when removed