Guide | Venipuncture, Hematology, Blood
Collection, Safety Review 2025/2026.
The process by which complex substances are broken down into simple substances is called
Catabolism
When a patient develops syncope during a venipuncture, the phlebotomist should first:
remove the tourniquet and needle and then call for help.
Which substance has a higher concentration in capillary blood than in venous blood?
Glucose is normally higher in capillary blood compared to venous blood and Potassium, Calcium
and Total Protein are normally lower
If a patient is critical or an antibiotic needs to be given right away, and two blood culture sets
are collected
When more than one set of blood cultures are ordered to be collected at the same time, the
second set should be obtained from a separately prepared site on the opposite arm if possible
When performing a capillary blood collection, the first blood drop is wiped away because
the first drop typically has more tissue fluid
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Why is it necessary to wipe the first drop of blood away when performing a capillary procedure?
to eliminate excess tissue fluid;To reduce interstitial fluid contamination
The color-coded tube that is most frequently associated with coagulation tests is
light blue
How far above the venipuncture site should the tourniquet be wrapped around the arm?
3 to 4 inches
,How long should a tourniquet be placed around a patient's arm?
No more than one minute
When is a phlebotomist allowed to perform a venipuncture on an ankle vein?
When all other options have been exhausted and the physician has given approval
Prior to bandaging the puncture site the phlebotomist should
examine the site for bleeding
During venipuncture, a hematoma may result from which of the following?
Needle bevel is partially inserted into a vein
Alcohol should be allowed to dry completely prior to skin puncture to
prevent lysis of red blood cells
When palpating, a vein having which one of the following characteristics would be most
appropriate to select for venipuncture?
Bouncy
Following venipuncture, which of the following should be applied to the venipuncture site?
Clean, sterile gauze pad
What is the preferred method for infant blood collection?
Capillary
Which of the following actions could cause the formation of a hematoma?
The needle penetrates all the way through the vein
what is the most critically affected analyte in a hemolyzed specimen
Potassium
The heel is the recommended site for collection of capillary puncture specimens on infants and
the phlebotomist is going to stick in the posterior curvature of the heel. Is this correct?
No the medial plantar surface of the heel is the best site to prevent possible bone damage
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, You have properly prepared the antecubital venipuncture site, you have the corrrect collection
device and enter the vein at a 20 degree angle. Is this the proper angle of insertion?
No, 30 degrees is the correct angle for the needle to be inserted into the skin
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If blood begins to flow and then stops when an evacuated tube is pushed into the needle the
most likely cause is the
bevel of the needle resting against the vein wall.
Petechiae are tiny, nonraised red spots on a patient's skin when the tourniquet is applied. This
indicates, that
Petechiae, the tiny red spots, are minute drops of blood that escapes from the capillaries and
comes to the surface of the skin below the tourniquet and indicate that the venipuncture site
may bleed excessively
When is a phlebotomist allowed to use ankle veins to draw blood?
With a physician's order
The most critical part of a blood culture collection is
skin antisepsis of the collection site
Swelling caused from blood leaking from a blood vessel is
hematoma
If serum is left to remain on the blood clot for more than one hour, which of the following most
likely will occur?
Serum glucose levels decrease
The liquid portion of an anticoagulated blood specimen is called
plasma
A collapsed vein will cause a
If a vein collapses during venipuncture there will be a cessation of blood flow.
Color coding indicates a needle's