Skip to content
View in the app

A better way to browse. Learn more.
allnurses

A full-screen app on your home screen with push notifications, badges and more.

To install this app on iOS and iPadOS
  1. Tap the Share icon in Safari
  2. Scroll the menu and tap Add to Home Screen.
  3. Tap Add in the top-right corner.
To install this app on Android
  1. Tap the 3-dot menu (⋮) in the top-right corner of the browser.
  2. Tap Add to Home screen or Install app.
  3. Confirm by tapping Install.
Discussion

Backflow into vein in venipuncture

Question!

I have been doing community blood draws for a while. Today, when I tried to draw a very sick ladies blood it flowed verrrrry slow into vacutainer (and then eventually stopped). This was a good ac vein. When I tried to move it slightly, the blood back flowed into her arm from the tube. Her arm was down and the tube was facing right where (Gravity was working with blood draw). I am wondering if this is due to poor venous pressure?

Medical history: she is malnourished, chronic alcohol use, hepatitis c.

anyways, just looking for feedback! It was one of weirdest things to see.

i took out needle when I saw it happening but then blood continue to leak out of needle on floor!

Thanks!!

  • Quote

    • Featured Replies

    You must have had a bad tube! They have a vacuum, that should not happen.

  • Quote
    • Author

    It seemed to start flowing backwards when I removed tourniquet. Any chance of harm to patient?

  • Quote

    It was probably a faulty vaccutainer. My first thought though was that you hit a valve.

  • Quote

    How could her own blood flowing back into her vein cause harm? Were you thinking blood clot? It wouldn't flow back through the needle if it were clotted.

  • Quote
    How could her own blood flowing back into her vein cause harm? Were you thinking blood clot? It wouldn't flow back through the needle if it were clotted.

    The vaccutainers contain various preservatives...things not typically infused into patients.

    Doubt there is any chance of serious harm though.

  • Quote

    If the tube lost it's vacuum, happens more often than one would think, when the blood flows into the tube it causes the tube to go from a neutral pressure into a positive pressure state. It will continue until the positive pressure overcomes the blood pressure and then it will back flow.

    You see this a lot in therapeutic phlebotomies if you use large 500ml evacuated containers (which is a reason why it is not longer recommended.)

  • Quote

    • Join the conversation

    You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.

    Guest
    Add a Comment
    Go to topic listing

    Currently Reading 0

    • No registered users viewing this page.

    Account

    Navigation

    Search

    Search

    Configure browser push notifications
    Chrome (Android)
    1. Tap the lock icon next to the address bar.
    2. Tap Permissions → Notifications.
    3. Adjust your preference.
    Chrome (Desktop)
    1. Click the padlock icon in the address bar.
    2. Select Site settings.
    3. Find Notifications and adjust your preference.