Heelsticks How to.

After reading the post from Raindreamer, I just felt like this needed to be covered more.

1. You don't have to use the deepest device you can find!

The capilary bed is not very deep, and by going deeper you cut into muscle and connective tissue that has more thrombin (it is a clotting factor) in it to help heal deaper wounds so you don't bleed to death. So by going deeper you do not cut into anymore capilaries just muscle and tissue so no increase in blood is gained and you have released more clotting factor into your sample making it more likely to clot your sample and to stop bleeding.

You have also caused more scarring, and created a longer healing time to be needed. And if the site was not prepared correctly you may have introduced bacteria deeper inside.

2.If you need more blood make a longer cut (but not deeper).

By going longer you cut into more of the capilary bed getting more blood without getting the thrombin from the muscle and connective tissue.

3. Yes I said cut not puncture in number 2.

By making a cut not a punture you decrease the pain responce. Even BABIES FEEL PAIN! and a cut stimulates the pain responce differently than a punture. When the baby constricts its legs in responce to pain blood flow decreases due to just like it says vaso-constriction. When the leg muscles do not relax it puts direct pressure on the capilary and veinus systems. (Make a fist and you will see your veins get tighter and smaller on your handand when you relax they get larger, well it works just like that.)

So, I put here do what you can to reduce pain, sweetease or whatever you can do.

4. Did I say Pain in number 3.

Well dont squeeeeeeeze too hard or for to long. By being to tight it just hurts. But, by being to tight and to long it actually emptys the capilarys out compleatly. (Have you ever blown up a balloon? Well when you first start it is difficult to fill as it is empty. But when it is partially full it is easy to blow up, This is PEEP for those vent nurses out there.) Well the same thing goes for capilarys. So don't try to get every last drop from one squeeze leave it patially full and it will fill faster when you let go.

5. Yes I said let go in number4.

You have to let more blood in so dont just squeeze, squeeze, and squeeze some more relax and let the blood pool. But don't just let go of the foot as this will get blood all over your nice clean blankets.

6. Warm the foot!

I don't care which foot you warm or stick if you warm one blood flow will increase in both. (Check out any anatomy book to find out why).

7. Gravity is your friend, use it.

Do I need to say more?

8. Know the V and how to use it.

Where are your capilary beds located? Well the answer is on the sides of the heels in the fatty tissue, NOT over the bone! If it feels like bone don't stick it, You can cause ostiomelitis and the lose of a leg.

It is my recomendation that you use the inside of the heel for just a Dex. and the outside for blood draws when you need more volume as there are larger capilary beds there and will bleed better.

9. Combine all the blood draws together to minimize the number of sticks.

10. Be ready to finish, clean off the heel, and place a bandaid.

I am sure I left out somethings so please add as you see fit.