To the Editor: Currently, phlebotomists using needles for withdrawing blood, giving intravenous (IV) injections, or inserting over-the-needle catheters customarily wear pairs of unsterile examination gloves to protect themselves from bloodborne pathogens. This is hazardous for patients, especially if the phlebotomist does not hand wash and scrub fingernails before gloving and uses an unsterile ...

BACKGROUND It is still uncertain whether or not avoidance to let disinfectant alcohol dry at the site of venipuncture is a source of spurious hemolysis when drawing venous blood. METHODS In a consecutive series of 52 outpatients referred for routine laboratory testing, venous blood was drawn by direct venipuncture with (odd group) or without (pair group) wiping 70% isopropyl alcohol at the si...

The effect of venipuncture on blood serum catecholamine concentrations was studied in five yearling Red Angus bulls. Treatments consisted of sampling jugular vein blood via indwelling cannulas in a squeeze chute every 10 min for 1 h; sampling jugular vein blood from an indwelling catheter before, during and after venipuncture simulation; sampling jugular vein blood by venipuncture in a chute af...

BACKGROUND The purpose of this study was to assess specific vacuum-venipuncture skills and the influence of the time involved in skin puncture and blood collection. METHODS Thirty subjects undergoing venipuncture in which video analysis was possible were included. These procedures were carried out by four nurses and recorded with a digital camera. Venipuncture skills classified by our observa...

OBJECTIVES This article is a systematic review of the effectiveness of three practices for reducing blood culture contamination rates: venipuncture, phlebotomy teams, and prepackaged preparation/collection (prep) kits. DESIGN AND METHODS The CDC-funded Laboratory Medicine Best Practices Initiative systematic review methods for quality improvement practices were used. RESULTS Studies include...

BACKGROUND Complications resulting from venipuncture include vein and nerve damage, hematoma, and neuropathic pain. Although the basic procedures are understood, few analyses of actual data exist. It is important to improve the safety standards of this technique during venipuncture. This study aimed to obtain data on actual needle movement during vacuum venipuncture in order to develop appropri...

BACKGROUND Painful procedures for premature infants in neonatal intensive care units remain inevitable. The goal of this study is to evaluate the effect of an eutectic mixture of local anesthetic (EMLA) cream for minimizing pain in premature infants during venipuncture in neonatal intensive care units. METHODS This study enrolled 32 premature infants. A repeated-measures design was used. The ...

BACKGROUND We sought a model to estimate preanalytical uncertainty of blood samples collected and processed by using optimal procedures. METHODS Optimal preanalytical handling of blood samples included use of a loosely fastened tourniquet, wide bore needles, recommended clotting time and centrifugation speed, and minimal storage before analysis. Blood was collected from each arm of 20 volunte...

Five hundred five blood cultures collected through a peripheral intravenous catheter (PIV) in an emergency department were matched to cultures obtained by dedicated venipuncture from the same patient within 10 minutes. The relative risk of contamination for cultures collected through PIVs compared with dedicated venipuncture was 1.83 (95% confidence interval, 1.08-3.11).

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES Venipuncture is one of the most common procedures performed in daily anesthetic practice. Though usually innocuous, peripheral nerve injuries with serious sequelae have been described following venipuncture. We present a case of venipuncture-related lateral antebrachial cutaneous nerve injury, alongside the essential diagnostic and prognostic information for day to day...