Drawing blood samples from patients for investigation in life sciences and related industries
Overview
This standard covers the skills you need to draw blood samples from patients for
laboratory investigations. You must work to the relevant standard operating
procedures, legislation and organisational policy.
You must carry out all the necessary preparations which will include preparing the
work area so that it is a safe condition to carry out the procedure and ensuring that
materials equipment and other resources that you need, are available and in a safe
and useable condition. After the procedure you must dispose of any waste
appropriately, leave your work area in an acceptable condition and complete all the
necessary paperwork and documentation.
Your underpinning knowledge will provide a good understanding of your work
including the approach to drawing blood specimens and dealing with any problems.
Who this standard is for
The standard is recommended for all staff, but particularly new recruits and
junior employees.
Performance criteria
You must be able to:
P1 ensure that your work is carried out in accordance with workplace procedures
to protect yourself and others
P2 confirm the patient’s identity and obtain their consent prior to the procedure
P3 select and prepare the correct equipment and materials for the tests requested
P4 draw blood specimens from patients and deal with any adverse reactions
P5 label and package blood specimens correctly
P6 transport and store blood specimens in correct location
P7 communicate the required information about the work done, to authorised
people, in accordance with departmental and organisational procedures
Knowledge and Understanding
You need to know and understand:
K1 the health and safety requirements of the area in which you are carrying out
the activities
K2 the standard operating procedures, as set down in local laboratory manuals
K3 the limits of your own authority and to whom you should report if you have
problems that you cannot resolve
K4 the importance and method of gaining confirmation of patient identity and
consent
K5 the requirements of different sample tubes and labelling/numbering protocols
for blood samples
K6 the anatomical and physiological locations used to take blood from patients
K7 how to reassure patients and seek assistance when necessary
K8 the procedure to be followed in an emergency situation (continued blood flow,
patient fainting)
K9 the procedures to be followed when dealing with routine, urgent, broken/
leaking specimens and disposing of waste and contaminated equipment
K10 the methods used for packaging and transporting blood specimens
K11 factors which may adversely affect the integrity of a blood specimen during
storage or transit