The venipuncture procedure
During venipuncture, the phlebotomist, a technician that takes blood, inserts a needle into a vein and withdraws blood into a specimen tube, which is sent to haematology laboratory for analysis. Usually the phlebotomist can find vein in the inner part of the elbow that is easy accessible. He/she may apply a tourniquet – a tight band – above the site or the patient may be asked to clench their hand to make a fist, in order to make the vein more prominent. Afterwards, the patient may be asked to press lightly on a dressing, usually a piece of gauze, to help the blood to clot and to prevent swelling and a haematoma (a bruise) where the vein was punctured.
A VENIPUNCTURE – the collection of blood from a vein
A PHLEBOTOMIST - a technician who is trained to take blood from a patient
TO TAKE BLOOD = TO WITHDRAW BLOOD
A SPECIMEN TUBE - a long, thin container for a soft substance
TO APPLY A TOURNIQUET – to put a tight band around an injured arm to stop the blood coming out
TO CLENCH A HANDS- to close a hand
A DRESSING – a covering that protects an injury
GAUZE /'ɡɔːz/- a thin, transparent cloth used to cover injuries
TO CLOT – to form clots (solid pieces in the blood)
A HAEMATOMA /hiː.məˈtəʊ.mə/ – a thick mass of blood in the body resulting from an injury or a blood disorder
A BRUISE – a dark area on your skin where you have been hurt
TO PUNCTURE A VEIN – to make a hole in a vein
Reference:
Glendinning Eric H., Howard Ron “Professional English in Use: Medicine” (2015)
Enjoy,
Micha
