Tips for a Successful Blood Draw

Posted: Sep sixth, 2016 at 12:00AM - past e7 Health

Tips for a Successful Blood Draw

If y'all have been to a clinic or lab before and had the phlebotomist stick you more in one case for a claret depict, you may accept been told that you are a "difficult stick." This tin can happen to people for quite a few different reasons, including modest or deep veins, rolling veins, dehydration, collapsing veins, constricted vessels, and inexperience for the cartoon technician. Today we will talk over what you as the patient can do to create a ameliorate chance of a successful draw also as what blood draws are used for and who tin perform them.

What is a claret draw?

A claret draw is needed for many different types of tests that your dr., school, or work may require. They can provide information on your amnesty levels, if you have a disease or a diseases progress, and the level of certain things in your blood. These tests may exist claret titers, checking for diseases like STDs, or checking the levels of hormones or cholesterol in your body to proper noun a few.

A blood draw is typically performed in a md's function or clinic, or in a dedicated lab like a Quest Diagnostics or Labcorp. The person drawing your blood will be a medical professional that is trained in venipuncture (accessing a vein with a needle) and may be any of a number of professionals including phlebotomists, medical assistants, and nurses.

A claret describe should only take a few minutes to perform. The medical staff will take a look at your inner elbow area and feel for a skilful vein. They sometimes may put a tight rubber or latex band called a tourniquet tightly around your arm to help the veins stand out while feeling your arm. The medical staff is looking for a vein that feels like a adept candidate for a blood describe, not a vein that looks the best. This is important, because even if you have a vein that yous tin can come across that may look good to you lot, it many non be the best vein to describe blood from.

If the medical staff does not run across a vein that will piece of work for a blood draw, they may take blood from another location. Depending on the protocols of the lab, clinic, or doctor's office, they may exist able to do a blood draw from the peak of the easily, wrists, and other areas on the arms.

Small, deep, or rolling veins

If you lot have ever had a lab depict where the phlebotomist told yous that y'all accept pocket-size, deep, or rolling veins (veins that tend to motility away from the needle during a blood draw), the best option for your next blood draw is to make certain you tell the phlebotomist that you have these possible bug before the blood draw begins. This will help them utilise dissimilar techniques such as anchoring an unexpected rolling vein or looking for deeper veins to draw from. They may besides exist able to use different techniques, like applying a warm compress, if allowed by their lab to help them access the vein easier.

Once a vein is accessed, recollect where the vessel was accessed and what techniques were used. This information will be helpful to inform your phlebotomist during your side by side blood draw.

Aridity and collapsing veins

Aridity is a common trouble for people anytime of the year. Your veins contain much of the fluids in your body, so if you haven't had much to potable the day of your draw, those little fluid filled vessels volition not be equally easy to access and are more than likely to collapse apartment when a needle is inserted.

The solution to this upshot is simple: drink enough of water before your blood describe. Kickoff drinking plenty of water the morning of your draw, and in the waiting room before your draw. You don't need to potable so much that you are uncomfortable, but plenty that you are urinating a light harbinger color. This indicates that y'all are well hydrated and will decrease your chances of having a vein collapse during your blood draw.

Constricted veins

Constricted vessels can be caused by the problems explained above (dehydration and vein collapse), but tin besides be related to what you drink. Constriction of the blood vessel is when the vessel is squeezed tight, making the bore smaller. The main culprit in constricted vessels is caffeine. If you take been hydrating yourself with three cups of coffee before your blood depict, you may be hydrated, merely all that caffeine constricts the blood vessels making for a more difficult blood draw. Other common sources of caffeine are sodas and energy drinks.

Nicotine is a stimulant that likewise causes blood vessel constriction in the body. It doesn't thing what form the nicotine comes in: cigarettes, vape, nicotine patch, ect., they all lead to the same issue. Constricted vessels and a harder blood draw.

Inexperienced Technician

The experience of the person performing the blood draw tin as well play a office in your successful claret draw. A blood draw is both an fine art and a science. Every person'south claret vessels are different. Your veins may be bigger or smaller, deeper or shallower, mobile (rolling veins) or stationary. Each person performing a claret draw may have their own techniques and differing feel levels as well.

Ever retrieve, if you are not comfortable with the person who is attempting a blood draw you can e'er request a unlike or more experienced person. Likewise, if the phlebotomist is not comfy performing the blood describe after assessing your veins, they may bring another qualified person in to perform the blood depict. If yous are in a doc's office or clinic you may also enquire to have your blood draw performed at a stand lonely lab location if you are more comfortable.

Keep in mind that most blood draws are a simple procedure that should only accept you a few minutes to complete. The issues explained above do not occur in nigh for nearly of the population, or may occur one time and not once more during future blood draws.

At e7 Health, we tin can perform all of your lab piece of work for schoolhouse, work, or every bit part of your physical exam. Our staff is well trained in the techniques and bedside style needed for your successful and worry-gratis blood draw feel. Phone call or schedule your appointment online today.

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