An Investigation into maintaining safe practices amongst lab technicians during phlebotomy

Research Proposal

Abstract
Phlebotomy is considered as healthcare practice which include practices related to blood
sample and keep it in the safe manner so that patent get proper information of test. An
examination is in this manner, led under present exploration on phlebotomists or lab specialists
about approach to incorporate safe practices inside consideration settings. A spotlight is
additionally passed on preparing necessity for plasma and red cell trade, immature
microorganism assortment, photophoresis, line blood assortment and that's just the beginning, for
diminishing the danger of sullying, research center or administrative mistake, injury and
contamination. For this cycle, before continuing a top to bottom information about same,
legitimate points and goals are confined, that helps in deciding the way to make research
examination more successful.

Table of Contents
Abstract............................................................................................................................................2
Title: “An Investigation into maintaining safe practices amongst lab technicians during
phlebotomy”.....................................................................................................................................1
Research Question...........................................................................................................................1
Hypothesis........................................................................................................................................1
Introduction......................................................................................................................................1
Aims & Objectives...........................................................................................................................2
LITERATURE REVIEW................................................................................................................2
Possible Methodology......................................................................................................................6
Potential methods, resources and timeline.......................................................................................8
Limitations.....................................................................................................................................24
Discussion......................................................................................................................................24
Recommendation...........................................................................................................................25
Conclusion.....................................................................................................................................26
References......................................................................................................................................27

Title: “An Investigation into maintaining safe practices amongst lab
technicians during phlebotomy”
Research Question
“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”.
Introduction
Phlebotomy refers to one of the common practices in health care, that includes procedure of
taking blood sample and keep it safe for further medical process. This procedure may include
drawing of blood culture, arterial sampling, venous blood draws and capillary sampling, where
each step affects directly on quality of the specimen (Orth and et. al., 2019). Therefore, it is
important for professionals or lab technicians to prevent the laboratory error and patient injury
during medications. For an instance, touching patient’s hand by a finger for verifying the vein’s
location before needle insertion might increase chance related to contamination of blood sample.
Consequences of this, results in false result outcomes regarding with blood culture, prolong
hospitalization, delay in diagnosing disease and cause unnecessary intake of antibiotics. Jostling
and jarring of specimen test tubes in transit may lyse or even break open the RBCs (red blood
cells), that causing errors in laboratory results. However, a number of safety practices have been
introduced in UK, by NHS and other health associations to reduce risks of adverse effects for
patients like bruising at the puncture site, nerve damage, fainting and more (McCall, 2020).
Health workers before practising Phlebotomy are properly to the types and entire safer practices
of specimen they collect. But still a number of cases have been happened that sometime results
in even death of patients, due to negligence of safer practices in phlebotomy.
An investigation is therefore, conducted under present research on phlebotomists or lab
technicians about way to integrate safe practices within care settings. A focus is also conveyed
on training requirement for plasma and red cell exchange, stem cell collection, photophoresis,
cord blood collection and more, for reducing the risk of contamination, laboratory or clerical
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error, injury and infection. For this process, before proceeding an in-depth knowledge about
same, proper aims and objectives are framed, that helps in determining the path to make research
investigation more effective.
Aims & Objectives
Research Aim: “To carry out investigation on role of maintaining safe practices in reducing
errors during phlebotomy and its adverse impact on health outcomes”.
Research Objectives:
 To explore the potential risks that could arise during phlebotomy for both lab technicians
and patients.
 To determine the effectiveness of safe practices in reducing risks and improving clinical
outcomes during phlebotomy.
 To analyse the ways of integrating and maintaining safe sharp practices in phlebotomy
procedure.
LITERATURE REVIEW
What are the potential risks that could arise during phlebotomy for both lab technicians
and patients.
As per the views of Sharon Perkins (2020), it has been determined that there is different risk
that could arise during the process of phlebotomy. The risk related to phlebotomy is to both lab
technicians as well as patients. It is important for health care provider to identify and determine
different types of risk of the it can be resolved correctly and accurately. Phlebotomy can be
describe as the process of removing blood or drawing blood form the circulatory system through
the incision cut or puncture with the motive of collecting sample of blood for analysing or
diagnosis of the issue (What Are Some of the Dangers of Being a Phlebotomist?, 2020). The
purpose of act of phlebotomy is to correctly treat polycythemia vera which is consider as the
condition that causes an elevated red blood cell volume. This is a complex process which consist
of different risk and could cause major harms. It has been analysed that there are more the
patients which has small bruise and mild soreness at the process of puncture site for the next
several days. The major risk that can arise during the process of phlebotomy is mention below –
 Exposure to bodily fluids – The exposure of bodily fluids is one of the common risk of
injuries that can occurs during the process of phlebotomy. There are different issues due
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to the needle sticks expose in phlebotomists to individual immunodeficiency virus, HIV
as well as hepatitis B or C. Due to this diseases can be transfer from one body to other
and may can lead to major infections.
 Allergic reactions – Patient can face the issues of allergic reaction due to the act of
phlebotomy process. The phlebotomists have to frequently or repeated exposure to latex
which is a rubber type of material can cause several type of allergic reaction. The arising
of this risk majorly depend on the body type and any issues to person. The allergies of
latex is common among different the health care provider.
 Physical injuries – Phlebotomy act can lead to physical injury to person and can harm
body (Thomas, Nelson and Silverman, 2015). Drawing of blood is a difficult process and
it can harm individual physically. This is in the case of children or combative adults
which can throw punches and kick that can cause injury to the phlebotomist.
 Back strain – Most of the phlebotomists have to stand up for the process of drawing
blood and it can lead to have pain on back. Standing for the long time will lead to fatigue
as well as back or neck strain and this is the issues during the process of phlebotomy.
 Dehydration – Patient may feel dehydration after the process of phlebotomy. This is due
to collection of blood form the body of patient and it can lead to increase in the issues of
less quantity of water. This is the main issues of dehydration and can affect the health of
individual.
 Low blood pressure – Low blood pressure can lead to major impact on health of a
person. Phlebotomy process increase the issues of low blood pressure and can cause
major damage to health and safety of patient.
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