How To Draw Blood With A Butterfly Needle

Summary

This educational video offers a detailed guide on using butterfly blood collection sets for drawing blood, focusing on their features, ideal use cases like geriatrics and pediatrics, and proper technique. It emphasizes the importance of safety, correct order of draw, and the misconception of relying on a flash of blood for needle placement. The video also discusses the risk of accidental needle sticks and the importance of using safety features correctly.

Takeaways

• 🦋 Butterflies are appreciated by many, including kids, flowers, cats, and especially patients in healthcare settings.
• 💉 The video will demonstrate how to use a butterfly or winged blood collection set to draw blood.
• 🔍 The butterfly set features a needle, two wings, long tubing, and an adapter for blood collection tubes, with some having a lure for syringe attachment.
• 🎯 These devices are ideal for small or fragile veins, providing a lower angle of insertion and greater control, useful in geriatrics, pediatrics, oncology, and for blood cultures.
• 📚 It's important not to use butterfly sets on every patient due to various reasons, which are discussed in another video.
• 👨‍⚕️ The procedure involves proper patient identification, vein assessment, and device assembly with either a tube holder or syringe.
• 🛑 When drawing blood, cleanse the site, apply the tourniquet, and assemble the device before inserting the needle.
• 🩸 For coagulation tubes, a discard tube is used first to prime the tubing and avoid inaccurate results due to air in the tubing.
• 🧪 Fill blood collection tubes in the correct order and mix them properly to ensure accurate test results.
• 🩹 After blood collection, apply pressure to the insertion site, remove the needle safely, and dispose of the needle and set according to guidelines.
• ⚠️ The video emphasizes the importance of safety features on butterfly sets to prevent accidental needle sticks, which are statistically more likely with butterfly devices if not used properly.

Q & A

What is the primary purpose of using a butterfly set in healthcare?

The primary purpose of using a butterfly set in healthcare is to draw blood, particularly when dealing with small or fragile veins where needle placement and control are critical to the success of the puncture.

What are the components of a butterfly set?

A butterfly set typically consists of a needle, two wings, a long tubing, another needle at the other end for attaching a tube holder adapter, and filling blood collection tubes. Some styles may have a lure instead of a needle for attaching to a syringe.

Why are butterfly sets considered advantageous for certain patients?

Butterfly sets are advantageous for certain patients, such as geriatrics, pediatrics, oncology patients, because they allow for a lower angle of insertion, are lightweight, and easily maneuverable, providing greater control during blood drawing.

Why are butterfly sets also suitable for blood cultures?

Butterfly sets are suitable for blood cultures when other laboratory tests are also ordered, as they provide precise control and can help prevent contamination.

What is the importance of the order of draw when using a butterfly set?

The order of draw is important to prevent contamination and ensure accurate test results. Tubes should be filled in the proper order, and each tube should be inverted once or twice before moving on to the next one to ensure thorough mixing.

Why is it necessary to use a discard tube when drawing blood for coagulation tests?

A discard tube is necessary when drawing blood for coagulation tests to remove air in the tubing, which can underfill the first tube and cause inaccurate results, such as wildly inaccurate APTT results.

What should be done if the patient insists on using a butterfly set when their veins don't require it?

If a patient insists on using a butterfly set when their veins don't require it, the healthcare professional should watch a video on how to handle such situations or communicate the importance of using the appropriate equipment for their specific condition.

How should you handle the butterfly set after blood has been drawn?

After blood has been drawn, the butterfly set should be secured either by holding it in place throughout the procedure or taping it down. Once blood flow is established, the tourniquet can be released, and the needle should be removed with immediate application of pressure.

What is the significance of the flash of blood when using a butterfly set?

The flash of blood in a butterfly set can be a reliable indicator of proper needle placement, but the absence of a flash does not necessarily mean the needle is not in the vein. It's important not to rely solely on the flash to determine vein entry.

How can the safety features of butterfly sets help prevent accidental needle sticks?

The safety features of butterfly sets, such as push-button activation or a hinged shield, help prevent accidental needle sticks by retracting or covering the contaminated sharp after use, rendering it harmless.

Why are butterfly devices considered to be more likely to cause accidental needle sticks?

Butterfly devices are considered to be more likely to cause accidental needle sticks due to user behavior, such as not using them safely or not activating their safety features correctly, rather than the devices being inherently unsafe.