How do you use a syringe

Nurses are accustomed to working with sharp tools, performing hand hygiene and using appropriate protective equipment for invasive procedures. Bloodletting is no exception. You should stay sharp and safe, protect yourself and your patients from blood-borne pathogens, and always keep the chain of infection in mind. When collecting materials, you will find a variety of blood drawing equipment available. So, how to use the syringe correctly?

Here is the content list:

Preliminary preparation

Use process

Post processing

Preliminary preparation

A best practice is to check the supplier's order first. Don't be afraid to double-check with the provider if the required lab test doesn't seem appropriate for your patient. If your institution has a bloodletting tray with a series of syringes and other supplies, keep them with you. Many hospitals do not have blood-letting trays and syringes immediately available to the nurse, in which case it is important to assess the patient's vein before performing this step. You should immediately observe hand hygiene before performing any syringe manipulation. You can use soap and water or an alcohol-based hand sanitizer.

Use process

The median elbow vein is the first choice for a blood draw because of its reduced distance from the arteries and nerves of the arm. More lateral cephalic veins are the second choice, while the basilar vein in the medial arm is the last choice. The basal vein is located on the aorta and the nerves of the arm, which increases the patient's risk of injury. You have evaluated the patient's arm and selected the best venipuncture vein. Now you need to determine the technology and equipment that is best for your patient (ETS or syringe, butterfly needle or straight multi-sample needle).

If you are using a butterfly syringe needle, when you enter the vein, you will see a return of blood in the line. If you use a straight syringe needle, you will not see the flashback of blood when you enter the vein. Your judgment on venous access depends more on the feel and depth of the needle inserted into the syringe. When you feel that the vein has cleared, insert the tube into the needle, and then rotate the tube a quarter turn to hold it in place. Once blood flow is established, you can release the tourniquet.

Post processing

Before pulling out the needle of the syringe, gently place the gauze on the area so that when you pull out the needle, you can apply pressure immediately. At this point, you may ask the patient to maintain pressure with gauze. If the patient cannot, then this step must be completed. Maintain pressure for at least 2 minutes. Please follow the policies of your institution to dispose of items with blood. Also throw away the tourniquet and any other used materials, including syringe needles.

If the vein is small, thin, and fragile, it may need to be withdrawn with a syringe. By using a syringe and needle to draw the patient’s blood, you can control the pressure and speed of the blood draw by changing the speed at which the plunger is pulled back. When you use a syringe to draw blood, you can use the Luer Lock transfer device to transfer the blood to the test tube to complete the whole process.