Assembling of the Evacuated System - Paper Example

C) Explain how the Evacuated System is assembled:

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Before the assembling of the evacuated system, site cleansing is performed to minimize the time taken during the venipuncture process, and to ensure that the cleansed site gets an adequate time to dry up before the needle insertion (Parasuraman, Raveendran & Kesavan, 2010).

During the assembling of the evacuated system, first, remove the needle from its package box and check it properly to ensure that there is no break or any crack on the closure seal. In the case of any breakage or crack, the needle should be discarded, and a new one, which has an intact seal is picked for the procedure. Twist the needles outer cover to break the seal, then hold the needle at the rubber sleeve pull it out of the plastic cover at the end. Subsequently, attach the needle to the smaller end of the needle-holder, and securely screw it in place. Caution: Do not exert excessive force on the needle holder since the plastic threads that hold the needle to the holder may get damaged (NCCLS, 2007).

Based on the test order (from the test requisition or request form), select the required tubes for testing, and then place them in a proper order of draw.

Put the gauze pad or cotton ball on an easy reach when needed to be placed on the venipuncture site after the removal of the needle from the vein.

Put the sharps container within an easy reach so as to immediately discard the needle assembly after removal from the vein. Novice collectors may prefer to bring close and open up and put close a fresh alcohol pad to be used in the event of any further cleansing of gloved finger to re-palpate the site before needle insertion.

Re-assess the tube selection and required equipment to ensure that all the necessities are within easy reach, to avoid crossing over and over the blood collection area. For instance, when the blood sample collector will be changing tubes with the left hand, then he/she should ensure that the cotton balls or gauze and tubes are on the left side of the patients arm. The sharps container should be on a similar side as the arm that will be used to withdraw the needle after sample collection (NCCLS, 2007). Arrange and attach the winged infusion set/device the case it has to be used, if not the needle and tube holder system or method.

According to Parasuraman, Raveendran and Kesavan (2010), the essential equipment and supplies that should be ready and within reach include the tourniquet, multi-sample adaptor, disposable gloves, packaged alcohol swabs, maker or pen, bandages, glass slides, and povidone-iodine in the case of withdrawal of blood cultures.

Put ready and tap all the tubes with additives before the use; hence ensuring that the additives are not clogged against the tube walls or at the stopper. Finally, ensure all the necessary supplies are available for the sample collection.

D) Explain how to change the Bottles successfully:

When changing bottles or tubes when more than one syringe volume is required, sample blood or specimen is transferred from a new and fresh syringe full of blood, into the bottle. This transfer should be in the order of the last syringe collected, followed by anticoagulants in the bottle. The bottle is then sealed tightly, not to allow any slight air circulation or contact of the blood sample with the atmosphere. There should be no delay in the transfer process, as this could result to sample clotting. For a satisfactory description and change, the bottles should be of different definitive colors, which depicts the sampled features or coagulants or additive used.

E)Questions:

1. When attaching the needle to the holder, how do you know if the bevel of the needle is in the correct position?

Gently remove the plastic cap from the needles smaller end, and with a lot of caution. Holding both the needle and holder at 180* (parallel) to each other, attach the needle to the holder by inserting it into the hub and twist it tight. Ensure the needle shaft appears right at the remaining cap and perfectly aligned with the holder, and finally remove the other cap to expose the needle. Hold the bevel straight up to confirm the perfect alignment (NCCLS, 2007). If the needle is tightly and straightly attached to the end of the holders hub, and uniformly on to the rubber lining, then it is in the correct position.

2. At which point during the procedure would you need to release the tourniquet?

When using the winged infusion device or blood collection set, the tourniquet is released as soon as the blood begins to trickle into the vacutainer tube, and the patient is asked to undo the fist or open his/her hand and relax. However, when using the syringe to collect a blood sample, the tourniquet is released after drawing the anticipated blood volume by slowly pulling back the stopper of the syringe (Parasuraman, Raveendran & Kesavan, 2010).

3. When you have completed the venipuncture procedure, how do you safely dispose of the equipment you have used on the patient?

The syringe and needle are disposed of as a unit into the sharps container after the venipuncture procedure. With the needle still attached to the hub, and after detaching the transfer device, they are safely disposed into the sharps container, including all other disposable devices, equipment or contaminated materials.

F) Explain how to activate the safety device successfully.

After the needle's withdrawal out of the vein, the needle and needle holder assembly are activated before disposal as a unit. The hinged part at the needle holder back (end) is closed to seal the opening of the tube holder (the rear-end protection). The needle is then slowly retracted using the thumb via the physical slider at holders surface. While still holding on to the needle over the sharps, click the push-button to detach the needle from its holder. On activation, after the blood sample collection, the discharge mechanism of safety device causes the needle to freely fall from its holder without the act of unscrewing. The thumb is used in pushing forward the one-handed release lever, thereby letting the needle-hub to safely and successfully detach from the holders head. The whole unit is thus cast off into the sharps container.

References

NCCLS (2007). Procedure for the Collection of Diagnostic Blood Specimens by Venipuncture; Approved Standard, Sixth Edition, Vol 27, No 26 (H3-A6).

Parasuraman, S., Raveendran, R. & Kesavan, R (2010). Blood sample collection in small laboratory animals. Journal of Pharmacology and Pharmacotherapeutics, 1 (2): 8793.