Advice for difficult blood draws

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Specializes in EMT/CPT/Outpatient Care/LTC.

Help. I have started a new mobile phleb position drawing nursing home patients. Nearly all are challenging and require more patience and time. I just discovered and have been using a vein lite.. lifesaver. Any added tips or advice from the pros out there would be greatly appreciated! 

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Specializes in Emergency Nursing, Pediatrics.

You can probably find similar posts of this topic on here, but in my experience these tricks helped:

-No tourniquet

-Heat pack/warm compress to bring veins to surface

-Look in uncommon spots like the back of the forearm or the bicep area

 

Hope this helps!

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Specializes in EMT/CPT/Outpatient Care/LTC.

Thanks! Those are great tips. I forgot about the tourniquet tip, I'm so used to putting one on. 

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Specializes in retired LTC.

If there's any chance that the pts can be hydrated little extra on lab draw days. It helps to keep them 'juicy' for the stick.

The NH staff would have to be resp for this, but it helps you to help them to help the pts.

Also if the pts can keep their arms covered with a sweater or kept under the covers.

I know you're not able to do any more than the stick, but if staff could help in any way ...

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