Which action is explicitly listed as a venipuncture don't?

Which action is explicitly listed as a venipuncture don't?

• A. Leave the tourniquet on for more than 1 minute
• B. Apply a tourniquet after selecting the tube
• C. Draw from the cephalic vein
• D. Do not disinfect the skin before puncture

Answer: (A)

Limiting tourniquet time is crucial for accuracy and patient safety in venipuncture. When the tourniquet stays on too long—more than about one minute—the blood becomes more concentrated in the veins (hemoconcentration). This can artificially raise measurements of several analytes and alter test results, leading to misleading values. Keeping the tourniquet on for a short, controlled period helps maintain normal blood composition and reduces patient discomfort. That’s why this action is the clearly discouraged one in venipuncture practice. In contrast, drawing from a common veins site like the cephalic vein is a routine, acceptable choice, and applying the tourniquet is part of the technique to locate a vein (even though exact sequencing can vary by protocol). Disinfecting the skin before puncture is essential for preventing infection, so stating not to disinfect would be unsafe.

Limiting tourniquet time is crucial for accuracy and patient safety in venipuncture. When the tourniquet stays on too long—more than about one minute—the blood becomes more concentrated in the veins (hemoconcentration). This can artificially raise measurements of several analytes and alter test results, leading to misleading values. Keeping the tourniquet on for a short, controlled period helps maintain normal blood composition and reduces patient discomfort.

That’s why this action is the clearly discouraged one in venipuncture practice. In contrast, drawing from a common veins site like the cephalic vein is a routine, acceptable choice, and applying the tourniquet is part of the technique to locate a vein (even though exact sequencing can vary by protocol). Disinfecting the skin before puncture is essential for preventing infection, so stating not to disinfect would be unsafe.