I'd agree about the use of a needle being a safety risk and I take the cap
off as well.
One has to be careful to get the cap back on securely, as normally the
vacuum effect helps to keep it on. It's not a screw cap.
Ray
----- Original Message -----
From: "Max Hills" <[log in to unmask]>
To: <[log in to unmask]>
Sent: Tuesday, January 27, 2004 7:45 PM
Subject: Re: Haemolysed blood specimens
> Our laboratory advises us to the contrary. It is felt that using a needle
> to 'inject' the rubber stopper represents a safety risk as one might
> inadvertently inject one's own finger. I have been advised to use the
> vacutainer system where possible and, if using a syringe, to remove the
> vacutainer cap and squirt blood in without a needle, up to the line.
>
> I have to say that I have found haemolysis to be a very rare occurrence
when
> using the vacutainer system, from a freshly placed or old canula, so long
as
> one discards the first container drawn.
>
> On a related note, I have found when using the needle-less Vygon system
that
> one must usually draw a small syringe-full of blood (which I then
discard),
> prior to being able to withdraw blood using the vacutainers. I presume
this
> has something to do with the sealing system and needing a certain amount
of
> vacuum to overcome it.
>
> Max Hills,
> Clinical Fellow in Emergency Medicine
> (Currently in Orthopaedics!)
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: Accident and Emergency Academic List
> [mailto:[log in to unmask]]On Behalf Of Martyn Hodson
> Sent: 27 January 2004 01:11
> To: [log in to unmask]
> Subject: Re: Haemolysed blood specimens
>
> snip.
> our labs types say if you must take blood with a syringe and needle, try
> and use a green needle and then let the vacutainers 'suckup' the correct
> amount fro mthe syringe , i.e. don't 'inject' into the bottle or pop the
> 'cap 'off and squirt some blood in
>
> snip.
>
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