What are the rules for drawing blood when there is an IV?

What are the rules for drawing blood when there is an IV?

In a patient with an IV, you may draw from the same arm as the IV if . . .

• You may only draw above the IV.
• You can draw below the IV with a tourniquet between the IV site and the draw site.
• You can only draw from the opposite arm.
• The available data suggest that the second and third options are equally appropriate.

Is it good practice to draw blood samples from a peripheral IV?

Conclusions. Blood sampling from used peripheral intravenous cannulae is a reasonable clinical practice for haematology and biochemistry samples. Potassium samples from used peripheral intravenous cannulae can be used in situations where error up to ±0.47 mmol/L is acceptable.

What is the best vein to start an IV?

Since you’re still learning, the natural tendency is to go for the easiest veins, often found in the antecubital fossa (AC) pit area of the elbow. Instead, challenge yourself by starting IVs on the top of the patient’s hand or along the forearm.

Should blood be drawn from an IV?

A. Blood samples should NOT be drawn during IV starts or from established IV catheters except for patients on thrombolytics (to reduce number of sticks), or in an emergency. B. Peripheral lab samples should be obtained using a straight needle and either the Vacutainer or syringe method.

How long should an IV be turned off before drawing blood?

The IV should be discontinued for at least two minutes before the venipuncture. Apply the tourniquet between the IV site and the area of the venipuncture. Perform the venipuncture.

What is the first vein of choice?

The antecubital area of the arm is usually the first choice for routine venipuncture. This area contains the three vessels primarily used by the phlebotomist to obtain venous blood specimens: the median cubital, the cephalic and the basilic veins.

When to draw blood from an IV catheter?

EBP RECOMMENDATION Blood samples should NOT be drawn during IV starts or from established IV catheters except for patients on thrombolytics (to reduce number of sticks), or in an emergency.

What are the CLSI guidelines for drawing blood?

In this case, the applicable CLSI guideline is CLSI GP41-Edition 7, also called “Collection of Diagnostic Venous Blood Specimens.” The guidelines note that there is risk of obtaining erroneous and misleading results when drawing blood from a patient with an IV catheter.

Can you draw above or below the IV?

You may only draw above the IV. You can draw below the IV with a tourniquet between the IV site and the draw site. You can only draw from the opposite arm. The available data suggest that the second and third options are equally appropriate.

How long to pause IV fluids before blood draw?

These particular authors recommended a 3-minute pause, and the data are really the source of the recommendation for a 2- to 3-minute pause in IV fluids before blood draw.