Blood is an essential component for the sustenance of human biological life. The sampling of blood is pivotal to all fields of medicine as it aids the analysis of blood samples from patients; this further helps to indicate the presence of abnormalities in blood, which are traceable to several pathological conditions.

Prehospital activities carried out by emergency service providers usually involve the collection of blood samples. However, due to their unique procedures, some facilities often refrain from accepting the samples taken. This article, from your favorite EMS supply store, is an attempt to shed light on blood sampling techniques prehospital and to discuss the necessity of collecting blood samples prehospital.

Procedure for Blood Sampling 

The evacuated tube system is a standard procedure for blood sampling. The evacuated tubes are typically made from glass or plastic and sealed with a rubber stopper. Some tubes contain some form of additive, which is either sprayed or added in liquid form. A thixotropic gel may also be included to separate the plasma from the heavy components of the blood sample.

The procedure of blood sampling recommended for EMS providers is as follows:

• Donning of PPE
• Setting up of equipment; ETS tube holder, IV lock and saline flush, IV kit
• Preparation of saline flush according to specified agency protocol
• Preparation of venipuncture site, placing of tourniquet, and insertion of IV catheter into the chosen vein
• Attachment of a tube holder to IV catheter and filling of tubes in standard order of draw
• Manual occluding of veins after releasing tourniquet to prevent blood loss
• Removal of ETS tube holder and attachment of saline lock
• Application of agency prescribed dressing to patient
• Appropriate labeling of each tube in preparation for handoff to ED staff

A qualified EMS provider can adequately institute these procedures.

Benefits of Prehospital Blood Sampling

Results of research conducted on the efficacy of EMS blood sampling techniques indicate that there is no difference in quality between samples collected by EMS providers and those obtained in the ED. Other reasons why prehospital blood samples should be collected include:

• It relieves some level of burden on the ED as test results of blood samples can be provided to the physician early.
• Patient waiting time is significantly reduced, thus reducing the discomfort experienced.

EMS providers are not competitors but rather partners with receiving facilities. To this end, establishing approved protocols for prehospital blood sampling is an effective way to boost this partnership. With its potential to improve patient satisfaction in the long run, EMS agencies should equip personnel with tools required for adequate prehospital blood sampling. For more information or to browse our EMS supply store, visit Coast BioMedical.

Citation:

Martin, Daniel. Why we collect blood samples prehospital.  JEMS.com. Nov 19, 2019.  Available at: www.jems.com/2019/11/19/why-collect-blood-samples-prehospital/