Biology Forums - Study Force

A nursing instructor is demonstrating how to perform a heel stick on a newborn. To obtain an accurate capillary hematocrit reading, the nursing instructor tells the students to:
 
  1. Warm the heel prior to obtaining blood.
  2. Use a previous puncture site.
  3. Cool the heel prior to obtaining blood.
  4. Use a sterile needle and aspirate.

1
Rationale:
1. The heel is warmed prior to obtaining the blood. This will help to decrease falsely high values.
2. A microlance is used to make the puncture in an unpunctured site.
3. The heel is warmed prior to obtaining the blood. This will help to decrease falsely high values.
4. A microlance is used to make the puncture in an unpunctured site.

Thanks