The venipuncture and infection control, with crucial soft skills such as communication, empathy, and attention to detail, are all necessary for safely and accurately drawing blood while ensuring patient comfort and trust, and involve precise anatomy knowledge, proper equipment use, accurate sample handling, and effective stress management in a fast-paced environment
- Venipuncture technique: accurate vein location, needle insertion (15-30° angle), and proper pressure application
- Equipment proficiency: using tourniquets, vacuum tubes (Vacutainer), butterfly needles, and lancets correctly
- Infection control: proper hand hygiene, glove use, skin cleaning, and biohazard disposal
- Sample management: correct labeling, storage, processing, and understanding the order of draw to prevent contamination
- Anatomy knowledge: understanding the vascular system to find veins and prevent complications
- Simulation: practicing venipuncture on vein boards, silicone arms, and training dummies
- Equipment: learning to use and maintain equipment for specimen collection, processing, and transport
