Learning Center
Using Technology to Visualize Veins and Improve Blood Sampling
Blood sampling is an essential procedure in health care allowing laboratories to supply providers with 70 percent of the objective information they receive to diagnose, medicate and manage their patients. However, finding peripheral veins and withdrawing diagnostic blood samples suitable for testing is fraught with peril. This presentation will focus on techniques and technologies that assist in finding suitable veins and collecting blood samples that are less likely to be rejected by the laboratory because of hemolysis or other factors that render them unsuitable for testing. Emphasis will be placed on vein visualization devices and technologies that improve the quality of samples drawn during vascular access device (VAD) placements, from existing VADs and by dedicated venipuncture.
Learning Objectives: At the end of this presentation, the participant will be able to:
1. Identify the three main categories of devices used to assist in vein location;
2. List the most commonly committed blood collection errors that risk sample rejection and threaten the accuracy to laboratory test results;
3. Discuss techniques that prevent hemolysis and sample rejection;
4. Implement strategies and technologies that improve sample quality.
Dennis J. Ernst, MT (ASCP), NCPT (NCCT)
Dennis J. Ernst, MT(ASCP), NCPT(NCCT) is the Director of the Center for Phlebotomy Education, Inc. in Cheboygan, Michigan. Besides being a highly recruited international lecturer, he has authored five books on phlebotomy and over 50 articles. Mr. Ernst has chaired multiple committees that write and revise industry standards for blood sample collection and has served on multiple CDC Evidence Review panels establishing best practices for blood collection. As a subject-matter expert, he has appeared on Dateline NBC, and quoted by the Wall Street Journal, the Washington Post, the Weekly Reader, and, yes, even the National Inquirer. Mr. Ernst frequently serves as an expert witness in phlebotomy-related litigation, and his blog, Phlebotomy Today, is read by over 14,000 healthcare professionals worldwide.
CRNI® RUs: This session has been approved for 2 CRNI® recertification units and meets the INS Meeting criteria
Contact Hours: This session has been approved for 1 contact hour
Expiration date for receipt of contact hours: June 30, 2024
To receive contact hours for this educational activity, you are required to attend the entire educational activity and complete the evaluation.
The Infusion Nurses Society is approved as a provider of continuing nursing education by the California Board of Registered Nursing, provider #CEP14209. The certificate must be retained by the attendee for a period of 4 years.
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