By Arushi Trivedi on 2 Aug 2022
5 mins read
Venipuncture, also known as venepuncture is a standard technique of insertion a needle inside the vein or intravenously, in order to draw blood from it. The process of drawing blood from a vein is called Phlebotomy. Thus venipuncture and phlebotomy go hand in hand – where one cannot be completed without the other.
It is the act of puncturing a vein as a part of a medical procedure. The procedure facilitates obtaining intravenous access for the purpose of blood sampling. Also, it aids in intravenous therapy with fluids or medication for extended periods. It is the most commonly adopted method for phlebotomy procedures. Let us first deeply understand the term ‘Phlebotomy’
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Here are some key points to be kept in mind while performing venipuncture.
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The process can be carried out by a lot of techniques, one of which is venipuncture. Phlebotomy is used for medical testing, to diagnose and treat a patient. It determines cholesterol, calcium and blood sugar levels etc.
Usually venipuncture is done in order to test the blood sample for certain conditions but at times it is done to treat certain medical conditions- drawing blood for treatment purposes is called therapeutic phlebotomy.
This is conducted in conditions such as:
Through arterial sampling we check oxygenation and the patient’s ventilation status.
Venipuncture sites are commonly found in the superficial veins of the upper limb –
The CPT code used for all venipuncture procedures is 36415
Biometric screening using venipuncture is done in order to assess the patient’s vitals such as,
During the screening procedure the blood is collected using a venipuncture technique, which is typically one or two vials of blood sample – Collected and tested in a laboratory to provide accurate measurements.
For a phlebotomist drawing blood samples is essential for the diagnosis of illness and adverse health conditions. Venipuncture is important for the technicians as:
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What is venipuncture?
Procedure in which a needle is used to take blood from a vein.
What is venipuncture used for?
It is used to take blood from a vein for blood analysis.
Usually for laboratory testing. Also, it is carried out to remove extra blood cells from the blood to treat certain disorders.
What are the methods of sample collection?
The three popular methods of blood collection are:
At what angle should venipuncture be performed?
The needle should be inserted at an angle of 15 to 30 degrees formed with the surface of the arm.
What is the best vein for venipuncture?
The median cubital vein in the antecubital fossa is the preferred vein for Venipuncture.
When is the venipuncture method for collection of blood suitable?
The method is best suited when a small quantity of blood is required either for monitoring levels of specific components in blood and for blood transfusion or for sample testing
What happens if you hit an artery during venipuncture?
If you hit an artery during the venipuncture process it becomes painful and dangerous. The blood from the arteries travels away from the heart which goes straight to body limbs and extremities. Injection particles often get stuck in blood capillaries and cut off circulation which results in a lack of blood flow, eventually causing the tissue to die.
When performing a venipuncture the needle should be inserted?
In the venipuncture procedure, the needle should be inserted into the superficial veins of the upper limb.
How long can a tourniquet be left on for venipuncture?
The tourniquet should be inserted and left for just one minute. Any longer than a minute may lead to variations in the blood test values.
How to perform a venipuncture using the vacutainer system?
This technique is used for patients that require multiple vials of blood to be collected at once. The steps to perform venipuncture using the vacutainer system are:
How to tie a tourniquet for venipuncture?
