DERMAL PUNCTURE

WHEN IS DURMAL PUNCTURE USED?

• Children, especially younger than 2
• Patients with scars or burns over the venipuncture site
• Obese patients
• Patients with frequent blood tests

VENIPUNCTURE AND DERMAL PUNCTURE ARE NOT INTERCHANGEABLE

• Some blood tests can't be performed with dermal puncture
• Blood cultures and Coagulation tests are inaccurate with dermal puncture
• Dermal puncture may not be appropriate for patients that are dehydrated

EQUIPMENT FOR DERMAL PUNCTURE

• handhled lancet and or a lasette laser
• micro pipet
• glass tubes, plain, blue, green, or heparin coated with green and yellow
• alcohol pads
• warming device

DRAW SITE SELECTION

• Draw site shouldn't have cuts, scars, bruises, or rashes
• Must be easily accessable
• Close to the surface
• There must be good capillary flow

DERMAL PUNCTURE PROCESS

• Sanitize your hands and put on gloves
• Assemble equiptment
• Select and clean draw site
• Position and hold the area
• Make puncture, and dispose of the blade properly

Dermal puncture process cont.

• Prepare to collect the sample
• Collect blood sample
• Apply pressure to puncture site with gauze