An Investigation into maintaining safe practices amongst lab technicians during phlebotomy

Dissertation
1

Contents
TITLE: “An Investigation into maintaining safe practices amongst lab technicians during
phlebotomy”.....................................................................................................................................3
Executive Summary.........................................................................................................................3
1.0 Introduction and Background....................................................................................................3
2.0 Problem and Justification...........................................................................................................5
3.0 Objectives..................................................................................................................................5
4.0 Literature Review.......................................................................................................................6
4.1 Potential risks that could arise during phlebotomy for both lab technicians and patients6
4.2 Effectiveness of safe practices in reducing risks and improving clinical outcomes during
phlebotomy.............................................................................................................................6
4.3 Ways of integrating and maintaining safe sharp practices in phlebotomy procedure......6
5.0 Methodology..............................................................................................................................6
6.0 Study Overview.........................................................................................................................6
6.1 Inclusion criteria........................................................................................................................6
6.2 Exclusion criteria.......................................................................................................................6
6.3 Timescales..................................................................................................................................6
6.4 Ethical Considerations...............................................................................................................7
6.5 Outcomes...................................................................................................................................7
6.6 Intervention................................................................................................................................7
6.7 Data Extract...............................................................................................................................7
7.0 Conclusion.................................................................................................................................7
REFERENCES................................................................................................................................8
2

TITLE: “An Investigation into maintaining safe practices amongst lab
technicians during phlebotomy”
Executive Summary
1.0 Introduction and Background
Phlebotomy is referred as the process of making a puncture in vein, with the cannula in
order to draw blood. This procedure is known as venipuncture that is also utilised for intravenous
therapy. It has practiced from centuries and is still one of the common invasive procedure within
the health care settings. In the technique of phlebotomy, needle is inserted temporarily into a
vein in order to administer venous access for blood sampling. The veins have 3 layered wall
which is composed of intrinsic endothelium surrounded through thin layer of muscle fibres, that
in turn surrounded through connective tissue layer. Therapeutic phlebotomy is one among the
preferred treatment for blood related disorders where removal of serum iron or red blood cells is
an efficient method for managing the symptoms as well as complications in an effective way. If
the blood sample is collected poorly, then the outcome may be inaccurate as well as mislead to
the clinician and the person who give the sample may have to undergo inconvenience of repeat
testing. Maintaining safe practices among the lab technicians during phlebotomy is very
necessary in order to collect blood sample safely. The lab technicians are expected to maintain
high hygiene level to negate the vulnerability of patient as well as themselves towards potential
diseases and infection.
In modern health care settings, the safety of patient is considered as priority and it is very
necessary to take care of it during the nursing care. Avoiding the injury of patient and
administering them with best possible care is a constant struggle. The results of laboratory test
following phlebotomy constitute main cornerstone in diagnosis as well as treatment of patient.
The errors in phlebotomy might cause delay in diagnosis, sampling erroneous treatment. The
errors jeopardise the health and safety of patients. Lab safety is a critical and significant element
to the success of medical laboratory. The biosafety practices of professionals are influenced by
chemical, biological, electrical, radiological and fire hazards. The common threats to the safety
of laboratory involves improper utilisation of personal protective equipment, improper utilisation
of biological safety cabinets appropriate to work, potential technician exposure and failure in
following protocols for proper chemical hygiene plan.
3

Ensuring a safe environment of laboratory is the key responsibility of laboratory personnel
management of healthcare institution. Laboratory safety is not purely voluntary function, but
needs mandatory safety rules as well as programs along with the ongoing commitment. Direct
responsibility for administration of laboratory safety program rests with safety director or
chemical hygiene officer. Laboratory instructors perform direct responsibility for the actions
taken by other people. They are responsible for promoting safety culture and inform them about
requisite knowledge and skills needed for handling the chemical safety. The main duties of lab
technician include receiving, processing as well as analysing the samples. Relying on the work
setting, samples may include tissue and blood, chemical product etc. Apart from this, performing
test; using, cleaning and maintaining different types of equipment; handling compressed gas
cylinders; handling chemicals as well as other materials; and administrative tasks like
documenting procedures, maintaining notebooks and preparing invoices and orders are all the
responsibilities of lab technician.
This particular study is based on the topic “An Investigation into maintaining safe practices
amongst lab technicians during phlebotomy” and the study aims to perform an investigation on
role of maintaining safe practices in minimising errors during phlebotomy and its adverse impact
on health outcomes. Maintaining safe practices within the laboratory is very crucial as it helps in
minimising the errors and improving the accuracy of tests. Safe practices help in preventing not
only the patient, but lab technicians also from any kind of infection and infectious diseases. The
handling of blood, tissues and body fluids must be done carefully as it may contain infectious
agent. There are some health issues for lab technicians including working with electrical
instruments and equipment, lacerations and cut from broken glass, scalds and burns from hot
equipment, corrosive, toxic and flammable chemicals etc. So, using preventive measures is very
necessary for the lab technicians in order to perform a test safely within the laboratory settings.
Research Question:
The research question in context of this study is “How safe practices can be maintained
amongst lab technicians during phlebotomy to reduce errors in health outcomes?”
Hypothesis:
“Negligence of maintaining safe practices during phlebotomy result in laboratory errors and
delay in diagnosing diseases”.
4