Practice Quiz

Phlebotomy Technician

Category - Procedures & Tubes

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Phil the New Phlebotomy Tech is performing his first heel stick! Phil has correctly identified his patient, assembled the required equipment, inspected the heels of the infant to avoid bruised and previous puncture sites, collected the sample with minimal squeezing or milking of the puncture site, covered the puncture site with sterile gauze, labeled his specimen before leaving and checked to make sure the puncture site stopped bleeding before leaving. What (if anything) has Phil done wrong?
  1. Phil did not do anything wrong.
  2. Phil should have waited for the parents.
  3. Phil should have warmed the infants’ heels.
  4. Phil should not have wasted time by rechecking the puncture site.
Explanation
Answer: C - Warming the infants’ heels before performing a heel stick is critical for a successful draw. Infants need warming, to increase blood flow to the heel area for about three to five minutes prior to a heel puncture. Because the infants’ skin is thin and susceptible to burn injuries, care should be taken not to set a warmer higher than 42 C. Many facilities have products meant for heel warming in the nursery; if not, a warm washcloth may be used.
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