Skill Checklists for Taylor's Clinical Nursing Skills: A Nursing Process Approach

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Copyright © 2011 by Wolters Kluwer Health | Lippincott Williams & Wilkins. Skill Checklists for Taylor's Clinical Nursing Skills:

SKILL 18-10

Obtaining a Venous Blood Specimen for

Culture and Sensitivity (Continued)

Comments

21. Continue to hold the butterfly needle in place in the vein.
    Once first bottle is filled, remove it from the Vacutainer
    and insert the second bottle. After the blood culture speci-
    mens are obtained, continue to fill any additional required
    tubes, removing one and inserting another. Gently rotate
    each bottle and tube as you remove it.
    22.After you have drawn all required blood samples, remove
    the last collection tube from the Vacutainer. Place a gauze
    pad over the puncture site and slowly and gently remove
    the needle from the vein. Engage needle guard.Do not
    apply pressure to the site until the needle has been fully
    removed.


22. Apply gentle pressure to the puncture site for 2 to 3 minutes
    or until bleeding stops.


23. After bleeding stops, apply an adhesive bandage.


24. Remove equipment and return patient to a position of
    comfort. Raise side rail and lower bed.


25. Discard Vacutainer and butterfly needle in sharps container.


26. Remove gloves and perform hand hygiene.


27. Place label on the container, per facility policy. Place
    containers in plastic, sealable biohazard bag. Refer to facil-
    ity policy regarding the need for separate biohazard bags
    for blood culture specimens and other blood specimens.


28. Check the venipuncture site to see if a hematoma has
    developed.


29. Remove other PPE, if used. Perform hand hygiene.


30. Transport the specimen to the laboratory immediately. If
    immediate transport is not possible, check with laboratory
    personnel or policy manual as to appropriate handling.

ExcellentSatisfactoryNeeds Practice

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